Keith Benzies
Keith John Benzies OBE (19 June 1938 – 12 May 2002) was an Anglican bishop in Madagascar. He was the Bishop of Antsiranana from 1982 until his death in 2002.
Early life
[edit]Benzies was born in Stepps, Lanarkshire, the son of John Young Benzies, a professor of thermodynamics, (1914-1994) and his wife Jeanette Evelyn (née Beckett) (1913-1956).[1] Both his mother and younger brother Roger died in the 1956 BOAC Argonaut accident at Kano Airport in Nigeria.[2] Benzies was educated at the University of Glasgow, obtaining a MA in Czech and French in 1960.[1][3]
Clerical career
[edit]Benzies trained for ordination at Salisbury Theological College, and was ordained deacon in 1962 and priest in 1963.[3] He served his title at St Nicholas's Church, Hull (1962-1966).[3]
For his second curacy, Benzies went to Madagascar as a USPG missionary.[4] He was Vice-Principal of St Paul's Theological College, Ambatoharanana (1966-1969) and then Principal (1969-1979) as well as being concurrently, in part, Chancellor (1970-1975).[4] He ran a home for 30 destitute boys.[1] He was elected as the successor to the Rt Rev Gabriel Josoa as Bishop of Antsiranana in 1982.[5] He was awarded an OBE in 1993.[1][6]
Personal life
[edit]Benzies died in office in 2002, aged 63, from malaria.[7] He was unmarried, but had many adopted children whom he put through education and into employment.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Church Times: "Woodward in F by the Indian Ocean", 11 March 1994, p 7". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Funeral Notices: Jeanette Benzies". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1973-74, 85th Edition, p 76.
- ^ a b "Church Times: "Deaths", 24 May 2002, p 13". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Church Times: "New bishop in Madagascar", 23 July 1982, p 3". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "London Gazette, Supplement 31 December 1992, p 17". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Church Times: "The Rt Rev Keith John Benzies", 31 May 2002, p 10". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
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