Obituaries: Lars Eric Benson

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Lars Eric Benson, 77, of Astoria, died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007, in Portland.

He was born Feb. 12, 1930, in Landskrona, Sweden, to Eric Victor Valentine and Dagmar Elizabeth (Sward) Bengtsson.

He married Viola Stella Cerny in 1950, in Sweden. She survives, residing in Astoria.

An executive chef for many years, he worked at Peacock Gap Country Club in San Rafael, Calif., and Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco. He founded and ran Eric’s Delicatessen in Anchor Bay, Calif.

Mr. Benson moved to Clatsop County in the late 1970s, where he became a master gardener. He also did extensive research into the use of fish processing byproducts. At one time he was labeled the “Wizard of Whiting.”

He was a member of the Lutheran Church.

Family members said his two main passions were cooking and gardening.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Benson is survived by two sons, Lars A. Benson of Gearhart and Leif E. Benson of Welches.

The service and inurnment were private.