Dr. Anthony J. Benison passed away December 15th, 2023 at the age of 90 in his home in Shrewsbury. Anthony was born in Worcester on January 10th, 1933 to Margaret (Burke) and Frank Benison. After graduating St. John's High School, then in Worcester, he earned a degree from the College of Holy Cross in 1954 and continued on to Tufts Dental School in 1958. After dental school, he served in the United States Air Force in Ohio then later in Reykjavik, Iceland. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force, he studied orthodontia at the University of New York, Buffalo.
Eleanor Helen (Polaniec) Benison followed her husband in death on December 19th, 2023 after 52 years of marriage. Eleanor was born April 9th, 1932 to Joseph and Martha Polaniec in Buffalo, New York. She was a proud first generation Polish American. After attending East High School in Buffalo, she began a career as an executive assistant while pursuing a degree at the University of Buffalo. While Eleanor was working at the university and Anthony was studying to be an orthodontist, their love affair began. They eventually married on July 11, 1971 in Brookline, Massachusetts and settled there for quite some time before moving to their lifelong home in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.
In 1963, Anthony opened businesses in both Worcester and Marlborough where he practiced orthodontia for over 35 years.
Anthony and Eleanor were extremely generous with their time when it came to family and friends. Anthony passed on his love of skiing to his nieces and nephews, taking a large clan of them that were in high school to Loon Mountain each winter break. When they married, Eleanor was not a skier but was always a part of these annual skiing adventures, perhaps as the coordinator. They were also very generous with their love and friendship to Anthony’s cousins, Bernard Burke and Martin Burke. The couple also enjoyed much time at the Cape, Florida and their frequent vacations to Las Vegas where Anthony would golf and Eleanor would try her luck at the slot machines. We are told Eleanor was quite successful in picking lucky machines. Cousin, Martin Burke, was a regular travelling companion on these many adventures.
Anthony and Eleanor leave many behind that love and will miss them dearly including their sister-in-law, Virginia Benison; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Anthony was predeceased by his brothers, John and Francis Benison. Eleanor was predeceased by her brothers Louie, Leonard, John and Raymond.
The entire family of both Eleanor and Anthony would like to express their deepest appreciation to the people at Southgate at Shrewsbury and Accessible Home Health Care for their loving care over the last few years.
Funeral services will be held privately for the family. Donations in their memory may be made to the Mary Beth Benison Foundation, MBBLoves.org.
Visits: 910
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors