Pamela Kimball-Benton, Illinois

Pamela Kay Kimball, age 68, of Benton, Illinois, passed away at 1:04 p.m. Monday, August 24, 2026, at the Franklin Hospital Emergency Room.
Pam was born on January 31, 1958, in Carbondale, Illinois, the daughter of Carson E. Johnson and Norma (Spires) Johnson. On August 11, 1984, she married Allan Glenn Kimball, together they shared in 42 years of marriage.

Pam completed her undergraduate studies at Eastern Illinois University and her master’s at Southern Illinois University.
She worked as a Speech, Drama and English Teacher at Benton Consolidated High School District #103 for 34 years (1981-2015). She specialized in speech communication and theater. Later she would also teach Honors English.

An article about Pam from the “Inside the Corral,” a publication written for Benton High School, Pam stated reflecting on decades of shaping confidence and character in her students, she also enjoyed the competition involved. Pam stated “I always liked the competitive aspect, you know like speech team meets. Her impact upon students is proven through her accolades: directing over 100 plays, lots of wins in 34 years including 8 state championships. However, she said “When competing, winning wasn’t always the case,”, Kimball said. “But I personally think you learn as much from losing gracefully. Those are good lessons too. That’s part of life.”

In that edition of Inside the Corral, written by Kay Kearney, when asked about her legacy at Benton High School, she said, “I would like people to say when Pam Kimball was coaching, we won a lot of state championships,” and she went on to say “I think that’s pretty cool. I guess my legacy is when people look at our program here in Benton, they realize it doesn’t matter, the size of our school, we still have success and we still win. It’s important to not let that hold us back.”

Pam was a member of FCAA, Illinois Communication and Theater Association, Illinois Theater Association, and the Illinois Educators.
She also worked part-time at John A. Logan Community College.

Pam enjoyed playing games on her phone, going out to eat, traveling to New York to see musicals and eating out, performing and directing with Pyramid Players (since 1980), where along with Susan Summers, directed the children’s shows and later with Alisa Leffler. She also enjoyed going on cruises, going to Chicago to attend karate and dance tournaments to watch her grandson Cohen.

Surviving is her loving husband of 42 years, Allan G. Kimball of Benton, IL, two sons: Justin Kimball and wife Melissa of Palos Hills, IL, Joshua Kimball and wife Kayla of Benton, IL; two grandsons: Cohen and Calvin, a sister Gail Scimeca of Park Ridge, IL, a brother Dr. Douglas Johnson and wife Cynthia of Bowling Green, KY, nephews and nieces: David (Traci) Kimball of Chatham, IL, Dawn (Doug) Kimball-Younger of Portland, OR, Doug (John) Kimball-Zotalis of Oak Ridge, IL, Kelli (Russell) Zik of Corbin, KY, Amanda (Kyle) Prince of Murfreesboro, TN, Caroline (Jacob) Trapp of Lexington, KY, Danielle Scimeca and Nicole Scimeca both of Park Ridge, IL, Carson Johnson of Bowling Green, KY, a sister-in-law Mechael Kimball of Divernon, IL, two fur grand-babies Kevin and Ellie.

She was preceded in death by her parents Carson and Norma Johnson, her in-laws Arnold and Glenda Kimball, a brother-in-law Arlen Kimball, an Aunt Pauline Spires, and an Uncle Robert Spires.
Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, September 6, 2026, at the Leffler Funeral Home, 401 East Main Street, Benton, IL 62812.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, September 7, 2026, at the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton, IL. Burial will follow at the Masonic & Odd Fellows Cemetery of Benton, IL. Additionally, there will be a visitation on Monday, starting at 10:00 a.m. prior to the funeral service.

The family prefers Memorial Contributions, In Memory of Pam, to be made for Pyramid Players and will be accepted at the Leffler Funeral Home, 401 East Main Street, Benton, Illinois 62812.
To give condolences online to the family or to share memories of Pam, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com.