James Loyd Benton

Mr. James Loyd Benton (Lobby), 89 died at home Saturday, December 28,2019. He was born August 15, 1930 to John Brady Benton and Julia Simpson Benton, one of ten children, all now deceased; brothers, John, Frank, Bobby, Nay, and sisters, Flonnie, Mavis, Ellie, Tom and Jeanette. He was also preceded in death by Evelyn Benton, wife and mother to his children as well as his grandson Jamie Benton. Funeral services will be held at 11:00am Friday, January 3, 2020 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 909 Circle Drive, Monroe, NC 28112. Burial will follow in Lakeland Memorial Park. He was raised in Depression Era America. His father share cropped and worked in the cotton mills. As a child, he worked the fields and at age 12 he sold newspapers to the soldiers at Camp Sutton on their way to Europe in 1942. A Mess Sergeant on Post saw that he got to eat breakfast each day and also encouraged the soldiers to buy his papers. Lobby’s early instilled work ethic and hardships helped mold the heart he developed for poor people, especially children. Throughout his years he would provide families food, clothing, toys and even gave a home to an elderly couple that lost everything in a fire. He enlisted in the army at age 16 and was trained to cook. He was stationed at Ft. Bragg in 1950 during the Korean War and was being deployed when the Armistice was signed. He retired after 26 years from the National Guard as a Mess Sergeant. He worked also for A&P Food Store for many years until he opened “His Dream” Midway BBQ that would take him through a 45-year career that involved 6 restaurants. In addition to Midway, Lobby’s Ranch House (Knife Fork), The Palace, Lobby’s Steaks & Seafood (Derby), Monroe’s first fish house (Bundy’s Bowling Alley) and the Farm Table in Myrtle Beach. The family will receive friends and relatives from 6:00pm until 8:00pm Thursday, January 2, 2020 at Gordon Funeral Service and Crematory 1904 Lancaster Ave, Monroe, NC 28112. He is survived by his three children; Barbara Sell (Curt), Cathy Graham (Chip), and Jim Benton, six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren. Online condolences may be made at www.gordonfuneralservice.com Gordon Funeral Service and Crematory is caring for the Benton Family.