Margaret R. Benker (nee Gohl),age 100, a longtime resident of both N. Beach Haven, NJ and N. Ft. Myers, FL, passed away peacefully on Wednesday July, 6, 2016 in Southern Ocean County Medical Center after a brief illness.

Born April 25, 1916 in NE Philadelphia, Margaret was the eldest of six children of Margaret (Green) and William Gohl. She was predeceased by her parents and all five younger siblings. In April of this year she was thrilled to have been visited by many extended relatives and friends at her 100th birthday celebration.

Marge attended St. Leo's Commercial School in NE Philadelphia before taking a job in the Relay Department at General Electric in 1935. It was at GE that Marge met fellow employee Robert G. "Bob" Benker and her life's course was forever changed. Marge and Bob married October 9, 1937 and made their home in Drexel Hill, PA before the birth of their daughter Barbara Benker Neil in 1942.

In 1950 Bob completed construction of the family's summer home in North Beach Haven, NJ. In 1975 they became "snow birds" and left Drexel Hill to spend the seven cooler months of every year in North Ft. Myers, FL. It was in FL that Marge's beloved husband Bob passed away in November 2000 after the couple celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary.

Marge, known to her family as Nan, loved animals, collecting angels, knitting, crocheting, baking, indulging in sweets and socializing. While her days of competing in bowling competitions were a thing of the past, Marge continued to enjoy reading the newspaper and working on puzzles, watching (and placing winning wagers with family about) NFL games and singing an amazing array of folksy and humorous songs of a by-gone age.

She is survived by her daughter Barbara Benker Neil with whom she lived with for the final three and a half years of her life, her grandchildren Bill Neil, Jr. (Colleen), Bob Neil (Laura), Bonnie Rose (Brandon); and seven great-grandchildren Ryan, Sarah, Finn, Conor, Bronson, Aliza and Kellen who brought great joy to her later years.

Relatives and friends are invited to gather with her family on Tuesday August 16, 2016 at 10:30 AM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM in St. Francis of Assisi Church 4700 Long Beach Boulevard Brant Beach, NJ.