Tim Benson

Timothy Lyle “Tim” Benson, age 67, of Bryant, Alabama, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, April 4, 2026, following a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET at Higdon Free Holiness Church with Brother Edwin Spurgeon and Brother Royce Cornelison officiating. Interment will follow at Oak Lawn Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends at the church on Monday from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM ET and on Tuesday from 12:00 PM until the service hour.

Tim Benson, born in 1959 in the close-knit farming community of Swearengin, Alabama, passed from this life leaving behind a legacy rooted deeply in faith, hard work, and unwavering love for family. He was raised by loving parents alongside his older sister in a home where values were lived daily and the importance of God and family was never in question.

From an early age, Tim found joy in the outdoors. Whether tending to cows, riding horses, fishing quiet waters, or hunting in the woods, he was most at home in God’s creation. As a teenager, his easygoing, funny, and carefree spirit made him well-loved by those around him. Even then, his entrepreneurial nature began to shine after he started his own shoe-selling business out of his father’s barn, serving friends and neighbors in the community.

Tim’s life changed forever when he met Connie Carrell at a Valentine’s Day party. Their love blossomed, and they were married in 1978, beginning a lifelong partnership built on devotion, faith, and family. On August 28, 1979, Tim received the Holy Ghost, a moment that became the cornerstone of his faith and guided him throughout the rest of his life.

A devoted husband and father, Tim poured himself into providing for and nurturing his family. He worked as a skilled pipefitter and welder, and together with Connie and their children, Caleb and Shontae, he built a life full of purpose. Tim was known for his love of having his own business. Whether it be owning a greenhouse or crafting and selling soap, it was always a family effort, marked by love, laughter, and togetherness. He and Connie shared a lifetime filled with travel, family nights, singings with their quartets The Good News and Family Ties, gatherings at their beloved Higdon Free Holiness Church, and simple times with their children and grandchildren. His love for Connie and his family never wavered and was always present whenever needed.

Tim was a man of vast knowledge of EVERYTHING, and he shared it freely, often in ways that could make you want to hug him or, at times, shake him. His quiet nature and easygoing spirit were balanced by a quick wit and a gift for storytelling that could leave a room filled with laughter. Family and friends often said he only had one gear, a mild gear, which reflected his calm, laidback demeanor. His coworkers affectionately nicknamed him “Ball of Fire,” and he loved to joke, pull pranks, and bring a smile to those around him.

As a grandfather, Tim found immense joy. He delighted in showing his grandchildren his treasured collections of pocket knives, antique tools, and COUNTLESS other items he simply couldn’t part with. He loved teaching them through his love of the outdoors and his many trades. Whether it was how to weld, blacksmith, properly shoot and clean his guns, whittle, or even throw knives, these are skills and memories that will live on in their hearts. He also enjoyed having them taste-test his many homemade recipes, each one a reflection of his unique creativity.

In 2011, Tim endured the heartbreaking loss of his beloved Connie. Yet, through faith and resilience, he found love again and married Donita Black in 2013. For thirteen years full of love, devotion, laughter, and companionship, they blended their families into one they simply called “theirs,” sharing years filled with love, travel, camping trips, and the joy of a growing family that included four children and their spouses, ten grandchildren, two additional grandsons, and a cherished great-grandson.

Tim was a simple man who found happiness in life’s quiet moments—sitting by a campfire, whittling on the porch, or spending time with those he loved most. In his later years, he found special joy in attending church with his sister, celebrating her receiving the Holy Ghost and deepening their bond through shared faith.

He will be remembered as a devoted and faithful family man, whose legacy lives on through his children and grandchildren, his unforgettable stories and sayings, and the countless memories of his easygoing, caring, and wise nature. All who had the privilege of knowing Tim Benson were touched by his life, and his memory will be cherished always.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 13 years, Donita Black Benson; his children Shontae (Jeremy) Parker, Caleb (Tiffany) Benson, Marisa (Jody) Gray, and Jason (Traci) Black; his sister, Glenda (Jimmy) Lamb; his grandchildren, Preslie (Weston) Gilliam, Alannah (Sullivan) Tinker, Paesli Parker, Collin Gray, Jace Benson, Jackson Black, Lincoln Black, Emmett Black, Clara Benson, and Winter Black; his great-grandson, Rip Gilliam; his stepmother Ruth Holloway (Granny) Benson; and several extended family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Connie Joyce Carrell Benson, his parents Joe Frank Benson and Kate Gamble Benson, and grandchildren Paxton Parker and Paeton Parker.