Sept. 12, 1928 –

July 10, 2011

Graveside funeral services for Shirley June Bench, 82, formerly of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., will be held Thursday, July 14, at 2 p.m. at Beal Memorial Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Born Sept. 12, 1928, Mrs. Bench died on Sunday, July 10, 2011.

Mrs. Bench was an accomplished artist who freely gave her oil paintings away to many friends and neighbors. She was also a past member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Fort Walton Beach and St. Peter Catholic Church in Mary Esther, Fla.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Eugene D. Bench, and their son, Eugene D. “Beau” Bench III.

Survivors include her daughter, Georgia Cutts of Stapleton, Ala.; a son, Steve Bench and his wife, Glennie, of Bainbridge, Ga.; her sister, Adair Yarborough of Pensacola, Fla.; her grandchildren, Edward T. Spetch, Tanya Spetch-Melson, Lizabeth K. Spratlin, Eric R. Bench, Alison L. Bench, Steven Bench, Cherie Owens and Kimberly Cutts; and her great-grandchildren, Ashley, Fleetwood, Regan and Denton.

McLaughlin Funeral Home in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is in charge of arrangements.