Inspire, Fall 2005

Inspire 23 T heirs is a story of love and war, of separation and anguish, of joyous reunion and a lifetime of service together. Lloyd and Martha “Pud” Anderson Benham ’41 found God to be faithful during the dark days of World War II as well as throughout the decades since. They met at a dance or “gathering” — she, a young teacher, and he, an aspiring baseball coach. The relationship started slowly and picked up momentum in the way that college relationships tend to do. Pud had thought that she wanted to do something more exciting with her life than be a teacher. But she grew up in the shadow of Cedarville College, and in the ’30s, cash was hard to come by. So a college education for her meant enrolling in the local school’s education program, especially since two siblings were attending at the same time. Classes were held in what is now Founders Hall; Alford Auditorium housed the gym, where she played volleyball. She worked hard and graduated in 1941. Of the two teaching offers she received, she decided on the one at Elizabeth Township School, where she met one of the school’s graduates at a gathering. Growing up on the farm, Lloyd looked forward to going to college. He loved baseball and envisioned himself as a coach. Miami University in Oxford, Ohio was his choice for his education. His love for baseball was priority until he met this new teacher who didn’t look like teachers he had known. She was very pretty, and she was smart, and, he thought, maybe just a little bit uppity. She thought he seemed like a really nice guy and good-looking — a blue-eyed, broad- shouldered baseball player. They enjoyed each other’s company and began dating. A Love Story L l o y d a n d M a r t h a “ P u d ” A n d e r s o n B e n h a m ’ 4 1