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

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

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

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

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Church Times: "Woodward in F by the Indian Ocean", 11 March 1994, p 7". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Funeral Notices: Jeanette Benzies". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1973-74, 85th Edition, p 76.
  4. 1 2 "Church Times: "Deaths", 24 May 2002, p 13". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  5. ↑ "Church Times: "New bishop in Madagascar", 23 July 1982, p 3". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  6. ↑ "London Gazette, Supplement 31 December 1992, p 17". Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  7. 1 2 "Church Times: "The Rt Rev Keith John Benzies", 31 May 2002, p 10". Retrieved 15 May 2022.


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