Don R. ten Bensel

Mr. Don R. ten Bensel, 81, of Ellaville, passed away after an extended illness on March 1, 2025. Funeral services will be held at Cornerstone Church, 245 Southland Rd., Americus, on Monday, March 3, 2025, at 2:00 PM with Pastors Kevin Brown and Robbie Pilcher officiating. Pallbearers will be Aaron Henderson, Thomas Henderson, Samuel ten Bensel, Jeff Hartman, Daniel Paquette, and Allen Williams. Burial will follow in Ellaville City Cemetery. The family will greet friends beginning at 12:30 PM until service time. 

Mr. ten Bensel was born April 3, 1943, in Arapahoe, NE to Frank ten Bensel and Florence Heinen ten Bensel. Upon graduating high school, he went on to attain his Bachelor’s degree in Geography and minor in Geology from Nebraska Wesleyan University and then his Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska. He was a founding member of Cornerstone Church in Americus. Mr. ten Bensel was retired as a grant writer and project administrator for Middle Flint Regional Development Center after 41 ½ years, serving the last 5 years as Executive Director. He was a Boy Scout leader in Ellaville for many years. Mr. ten Bensel loved to spend time outdoors and being with his family. He never met a stranger and always had a thankful attitude on life. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Lois Walter.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 61 years, Carol Barton ten Bensel of Ellaville; a son, Wade Donald ten Bensel and his wife, Karen of Lancaster, SC; a daughter, Laura ten Bensel Henderson and her husband, James of Waverly Hall, GA; a sister, Gladys Lauhead of South Dakota; seven grandchildren, Joy Hartman (Jeff), Jennifer Paquette (Daniel), Johanna Williams (Allen), Hope ten Bensel, Samuel ten Bensel, Aaron Henderson, and Thomas Henderson; nine great-grandchildren, Arianna, Aliya, and Ashton Hartman, Asher, Micaiah and Levi Grace Paquette, Ariel Mae, Bella Rae, and Liam Grey Williams; and several nieces and nephews. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to Cornerstone Church Bible Translation Fund at www.mycornerstone.family or the Mayo Clinic Neurology Department at https://www.mayoclinic.org/giving-to-mayo-clinic