Dr. John Willard Bengtson, 98, of Lincoln passed away September 5, 2013 in Lincoln Nebraska.  He was born on a farm in rural Platte county  December 11,1914 to parents John Emil and Sarah Nilsson Bengtson, both first generation residents of Swedish ancestry.  He attended Boone County rural schools, graduated from Albion High School and attended the University of Nebraska graduating in 1937 with a BS in Agriculture, and a MA from George Washington University in 1941.  In 1940 he married Antoinette Ketner of Washington DC.  First employed mapping sandhills vegetation on the Valentine Migratory Wildfowl Refuge, he was next employed by the US Golf Association Greens Section  in Washington DC doing  research on selection and cultivation of grass for golf courses.  With the onset of WWII he was employed by the US Army Corps of Engineers to stabilize newly constructed airfields in the southern United States.  When this assignment was finished he was inducted into the US Army Chemical Warfare Service until discharged to attend medical school.  He entered the University of Rochester (NY) School of Medicine in 1945, graduating in 1948.  Internship and residency at University Hospitals Cleveland Ohio and continued  residency at Veteran’s Hospital in Newington Connecticut under the supervision of Yale University.  Certified in Internal Medicine he was employed at the Connecticut Veteran’s Home in Rocky Hill until joining the Lincoln Clinic in 1956.  While in practice he was a member of the attending staff at Bryan Memorial, Lincoln General, and St. Elizabeth hospitals.  He was medical director of the Independence Center at Lincoln General Hospital for 20years.  John served on the Nebraska Commission on aging, was a member of the Nebraska Diabetes Association, American Medical Association, and the Lancaster County Medical Association.  He was elected to Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society. He was a long time member of Lincoln Sailing Club.

Preceded in death by his wife, Antoinette and daughter  Khristina.  Survived by sons Peter of New York City, Erik and Steven (Vonda) of Lincoln, Carl (Deb) of West Palm Beach, FL. and grandchildren, Sarah, Rachael and Charles of West Palm Beach, FL., and Stephen, Matthew and Jenna  of Lincoln.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2013 at 2:00 P.M. at Wyuka Funeral Home.

Burial will be in Wyuka Cemetery.