Serving on eight different boards throughout the community, Marie Benham of Marshall isn't often found in repose. Her interests include ensuring health care access for minorities. [Click to enlarge]

Black History Month is a time for, not only African Americans but people of all races to reflect and celebrate the accomplishments of dozens of historic African-Americans whose efforts have paved the way for generations of others to follow in their footsteps.

To that end, Marshall's own Marie Benham is leaving quite a lasting legacy of her own. Benham is the epitome of what a true role model should be. Her inexhaustible efforts to assist thousands of Saline County residents might not receive national notoriety, but in terms of community service, her efforts take a back seat to no one.

Benham retired as a registered nurse at the Marshall Habilitation Center eight years ago after 35 years of service at the facility, but all that did was free up more time for her to commit herself to the community.

"I have three passions," Benham said, in earnest. "My first passion is my love for our Lord and Savior. My love for my family and my love for nursing. I worked at the Marshall Habilitation Center for 35 years and I'm not the kind of person that can sit still and do nothing, so I immediately got involved in the community and I've had a hard time saying no to anyone.

"When I was working, I never kept a calendar, but now I have to keep a calendar to be where I'm supposed to be," she said, laughing.

Benham said she currently is serving, in some capacity, as a board member on approximately eight different boards and she feels a need to stand up and speak out for the many diverse groups of people in Marshall.

"One of the boards I really hold dear … is the Habitat for Humanity, which provides decent and affordable housing for people," she said. "I stay real busy, but I feel a real need in this community to ensure that the people that need it most have health care, and those are our minorities, our elderly and women. I think those are the three factions that suffer the most from inadequate health care. I think sometimes we kind of overlook those people. I don't just limit my interest in health care to those people, but those are the ones I want to make sure receive it since I'm a black woman who's old," she said.

The difference being made by Benham is recognized by others, including her close friend and co-worker, Pat Davis.

"Marie puts her all into whatever she's doing," Davis said. "She is a very wonderful person and will help wherever it's possible to help. She has a good knowledge on several subjects and is willing to help out wherever she can."

Benham said her grandmother, Cora Williams has been the most influential person in her life.

"My grandmother was a strong influence on my life. She kept me encouraged. She was always there to praise me, but also to correct me and keep me on the right track," she said. "I feel blessed that I had the opportunity to grow up the way I did and if I am affecting the lives of some people, I feel so blessed that I had that opportunity and I wish everybody did."

Benham, who has three children, also said her husband of 44 years, George, has also been a major source of stability and encouragement for her throughout her career.

"My husband has been my rock," she said, beaming with pride. "He has worked so hard and has been such a good father and husband. I'm just so proud of him. He's my everything."

Benham also works extensively with Positive Community Images, an area organization dedicated to helping Marshall youth. She also knows that, as far as African-Americans have come, there are still enormous strides to be made and that the children of today need guidance more than ever.

"That's what we're hoping to do through Positive Community Images. I think we're going to have to start working with the parents," she said. "I don't think we're going to be able to reach the children until we reach the parents and make them realize the importance of teaching the children all the things that we were taught. It's almost a lost generation and that makes me feel very sad.

"I am planning to do some additional volunteer work, maybe spending some time at the schools. Something's gone wrong and I don't know where it is, but I thought maybe if I can go to the school system and spend some time there, maybe I can find out from the kids or find out from observation what's reallly happening," said Benham. "I'd give anything to see it turned around."

When talk turns to Benham being a role model, she modestly downplays such conversation.

"Every day I thank the Lord that I still have the physical and mental ability to still be able to offer something to the community," she said. "I've been really fortunate in getting the support of people. I've never gone to anybody that didn't want to help me do whatever my goal was and that makes me feel real good. I thank the Lord for that."

"I do some fun things too," she said. "I'm in a group called 'Nostalgia' and that's a group of my family and friends that sings gospel music. Each year we do a fund-raiser over Thanksgiv-ing and Christmas and each year we choose a charity that we think is deserving of some help. This past year we gave to the Salvation Army and the [Marshall] Ministerial Alliance and we raised $1,600."

"She's a very true friend who is there for you through thick and thin," Davis said. "She is definitely a role model."

Contact Eric Coley at

marshallfaith@socket.net