Purpose in the Flames: Dale Benson’s Lifelong Mission of Service
Published: March 29, 2025
Author: Liz Dowell
On the night of April 28, 1956, fate intervened in the life of a 14-year-old boy. Unconscious and trapped in a burning bedroom, Dale Benson was able to be carried to safety by the fire chief of the Winona Lake volunteer fire department only because the chief had been equipped with an air pack purchased just days before.
While recovering in the hospital, Dale received a note from a childhood friend. The words were simple but profound: "God must have something important for you to do, or else the fire chief would not have been able to save you." That moment and that message became a defining force in his life.
Dale has carried that question with him for nearly seven decades: What is the important thing God has called him to do? This question has shaped his journey, leading him from Greenville University to a lifetime of service in the medical field.
A CALLING FORGED AT GREENVILLE
As Dale pursued his education at Greenville University, he found himself surrounded by professors who lived lives of purpose. Their mentorship helped him discover his own.
"At Greenville, I arrived a clueless teenage freshman and four years later graduated as a young adult with a solid foundation and a purpose for life, not to mention a ‘bride to be’ as a bonus,” said Dale. “Neither of these was likely to have happened without the maturing influence of Greenville. I have never forgotten that."
Initially, he thought his calling might be through music and ministry with the Visionaries gospel team, where he traveled the Midwest, sharing his musical talents and fire survival story. However, his path became apparent when he chose to enter the field of medicine.
“Mark Twain is supposed to have said that the two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you figure out why,” Dale reflected. “Greenville played a key role in helping me figure out the why.”
A LIFE OF SERVICE IN MEDICINE
Dale's career did not lead him to an overseas mission hospital as initially imagined. Instead, he found his mission field in the heart of urban America, serving vulnerable populations through healthcare.
What started as two small storefront clinics in Indianapolis in 1969 has grown into HealthNet, a comprehensive inner-city health system serving more than 60,000 patients annually across multiple sites.
Dale’s former boss, Chuck Van Vorst, knew when he first met Dale that he would be a good fit and hired him right out of college.
“We interviewed Dale, and he just came out of his family practice residency program, and he just struck me as extremely confident, very charismatic, and compassionate,” said Chuck. “There was just something about Dale. I made the director of our health clinics and the medical director. He was both the administrative and medical head, and he did a fantastic job on both. He was there for 30 years.”
Chuck said that Dale and his wife, Barb, were a compassionate and well-matched couple who deeply cared for people. Their commitment to service went beyond medical care—they even visited patients’ homes to help with everyday tasks like laundry. Their actions reflected Greenville University’s mission: a life led by faith and compassion.
From treating heroin addicts in the 1970s to caring for HIV patients in the early 2000s, Dale’s impact has been profound. His dedication to providing healthcare for those who could not afford it has transformed countless lives.
Through it all, he has remained faithful to Jesus' words in Matthew 25:40: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
A GREENVILLE LEGACY
Dale Benson’s life has been defined by his unwavering commitment to serving others—a principle he instilled in his son, David.
“I see in Dad a deep devotion to his family. No matter how busy he was, he always made time for us,” David said. He recalled a childhood moment when, despite his frustration, his father patiently engaged with him over a game of ping-pong, refusing to give up on their connection.
That same devotion continues with Dale and Barb as grandparents, ensuring their grandchildren feel loved and supported.
“My kids cherish their conversations with them, knowing they’ll walk away with encouragement and wisdom,” David said.
Beyond his dedication, Dale’s playful spirit shines. When accepting the Great Alumnus Award at Greenville, he entertained the audience by pretending to get lost on stage. His humor also defined family traditions, like the “Magic Grandpa” shows, where he transformed into Rufus the Drufus, a hilariously clueless magician whose tricks—thanks to the grandkids—always turned out amazing.
“Those were some of the best family nights we ever had, and we all still laugh about them,” David said.
Dale’s legacy is one of love, faith, and a lifetime of service to his family and the world around him.
LEGACY AND MENTORSHIP
Dale's contributions have not gone unnoticed. His work has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers, among other honors. But for him, the accurate measure of success isn’t found in accolades but in people.
“To know that even one life has breathed better because you have lived,” Dale said, quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson, “that is to have succeeded.”
Today, Dale continues to mentor the next generation, encouraging them to seek lives of purpose.
"Here are two thoughts from the Greenville experience I often share in mentoring the next generation. First, we cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are. It won’t just happen. We must make it happen," Dale said.
"The second is that we should concern ourselves with being useful, not perfect. When concerned about being useful, we are thinking about serving others. When concerned about being perfect, we are thinking about ourselves. If you are useful, the perfect will take care of itself."
And if his life is any indication, those small acts of faithfulness can ignite a fire that will never burn out.