Glenda Barber Benton, 72, a resident of the Cornelius community passed away on February 11th, 2026, in Hillsboro, OR.

Glenda was born on February 23rd, 1953, in Jackson, Mississippi. She was the second of three daughters born to Glen and Bonnie (Chesser) Barber. As a young child her family moved to Arlington, TX. There she was raised and attended McArthur High School. While in high school she was on the Drill Team and graduated as Valedictorian, Class of 1971. She then attended Southern Methodist University (SMU) and attained a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Highest Honors. She double majored in Archaeology and French, graduating in December of 1973, Phi Beta Kappa.

Glenda was married to Joe Graham in 1975, they lived in Duncanville, TX and had one daughter, Lara. They later divorced. She met her future husband, Winston Benton, at a Rosicrucian Lodge in Dallas, TX and they married on October 17th, 1987. They made their home in Cedar Hill, TX and had one daughter together, Jessie. They then moved to Desoto, TX before making the move to Beaverton, OR in 1996. They later settled in Cornelius, OR in 2021.

Glenda worked in the medical field most of her life. She started at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX in the President’s Office as a Coordinator of Donations and Gifts. After moving to Oregon, she worked for Reed College as a Grants Coordinator. In 2000 she started working for OHSU as a Grants Coordinator. She later became a Senior Grants Manager at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, focused on grant writing for developing vaccines and cures for infectious diseases.

Glenda enjoyed hiking and camping with her family throughout the National Parks and Forests of the West Coast, Pacific Northwest and Western United States. As a family, Glenda, Winston and Jessie tent camped through the Redwoods, Mt. Rainer, and Olympia, all the way to Yellowstone, Glacier and Mesa Verde National Parks.  

Glenda made beautiful Counted Cross Stitch artwork displayed throughout their home. She loved to read and garden and had a love for nature and enjoyed feeding the birds. She also loved the dogs that she mothered, Lily, Freddie and Callie. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed cooking for her family. She was fascinated by her Scottish heritage, enjoying Celtic music. Once retired, Glenda and Winston made a trip to Europe to travel through the British Isles.

Glenda was raised Presbyterian; she was very spiritual. She was baptized on Pascha in 2000 into the Eastern Orthodox church, which was very important to her. In January of 2022 Glenda and Winston started attending and became members of the Old Scotch Church. She was honored to have severed the church as a Deacon. 

Glenda is preceded in death by her parents and sister, Browen Logan. 

Glenda is survived by her loving husband, Winston and her daughters, Lara (Graham) Siegel and husband Andy of Portugal, and her daughter Jessie Benton and her fiancée Devin Van Leuven of Beaverton, OR, her sister Kathleen Fonseca and two nieces, Adriana Fonseca Simmons and Lauren Denver Potter of Texas.