PINE GROVE • John Russell Benner Jr., 81, of Pine Grove, died Aug. 19 at Providence Place, Pine Grove. He was born Feb. 22, 1938, in Scranton, a son of the late John Sr. and Evelyn Diehl Benner. He was a 1955 graduate of the former Scranton Central High School and a 1965 graduate of LaSalle University, Philadelphia. He was a CPA for John R. Benner CPA. He was a member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Tremont; a member of Hegins Area Rotary Club where he was a Paul Harris Fellow; Valley Lodge F&AM 797, Valley View; the Tall Cedars of Lebanon Lodge 125, Millersburg; and a board member of the Pine Grove Twp. Authority. He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Benner; a daughter, Donna Deibler; and a son, Frank Benner. He is survived by two daughters, Patricia Benner of Palmyra and Kathryn Nork of Arnold, Md.; a son, William Benner of Arnold, Md.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Oct. 12 at noon, at Buffington-Reed Funeral Home, Valley View. Visitation will be held from 11:30 a.m.-noon at the funeral home. Burial will be private in Christ Church Cemetery, Fountain Springs. To sign the online guest book, visit buffingtonreed.com
