Joel Wayne Benson

Joel Wayne Benson, 76, of Crystal Lake, Illinois formerly of Lincolnshire, Illinois, passed away Friday, July 11, 2025, in the comfort of his home.

Joel was born April 10, 1949 to Kenneth and Elaine Benson in Oak Harbor, Washington. Joel is survived by his son, Zachary K. (Allison) Benson; granddaughters, Julia Denise and Ainsley Paige Benson; sister, Gwen (Ralph S.) Benson Trigg; niece, Kara (Mace) Gavrila Kochenderfer. Joel was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Denise M Benson; parents, Kenneth A. and Elaine J. Benson, father & mother-in-law, Lou and Fannie Asimakopoulos; sister Diane G. Benson; and nephews Matthew and Scott Trigg.

He graduated from T.L. Handy High School in Bay City, Michigan, in 1967, and went on to attend Delta Community College in Freeland, Michigan. He later earned a degree in Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1971. His early professional career included working as a Design Engineer for Bell Laboratories in Chicago, Illinois. He then pursued a Juris Doctorate degree, graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., in 1978. Following law school, he practiced patent law with the Washington, D.C.-based firm of Pollock, Vande, Sande and Priddy. He later became a shareholder at Brinks, Gibson & Lione PC in Chicago, where he specialized in Intellectual Property and Litigation for more than 25 years.

Joel was a highly intelligent person who read both the dictionary and the Bible at a very young age. He was an avid reader and lover of science fiction. He penned and published a science fiction novel titled “Legion’s Universe” and designed and patented a gun case as retirement folly.

A quote from Joel in one letter to his sister read: “As a young boy I spent literally years in the Sage Library reading every book I could find. They had a special rule where I got to take eight books home, read them in a week or so and then return for eight more. Those were the days, sitting in an apple tree in our back yard and reading books all summer.”

The family wishes to thank the Davenport Funeral Home in Crystal Lake for their kind assistance with the arrangements. Interment will be a private family ceremony at Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie, Il.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials are suggested for Joel’s grandchildren.