- Born
- Died
- Birth nameThomas Milton Benson Jr.
- Tom Benson was born on July 12, 1927 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was a producer, known for The Sean Payton Show (2009), Curtis (2009) and Super Bowl XLIV (2010). He was married to Gayle LaJaunie Bird, Grace Trudeau and Shirley Landry. He died on March 15, 2018 in Jefferson, Louisiana, USA.
- SpousesGayle LaJaunie Bird(October 29, 2004 - March 15, 2018) (his death)Grace Trudeau(June 9, 1982 - November 18, 2003) (her death)Shirley Landry(October 1945 - November 24, 1980) (her death, 3 children)
- Adopted three children with his first wife Shirley: Robert, Renée, and Jéanne. Robert and Jéanne were named for Shirley's parents, whom had disapproved of her marrying Benson. Robert died of cancer in 1986; Jéanne committed suicide in 1991. Renée and her two children, Rita and Ryan, were fired from their jobs with the New Orleans Saints by Benson on January 21, 2012 due to what he deemed as their "sense of entitlement", and wrote them out of his will. Rita sued Benson on January 22, 2015 for control of his companies, claiming that he was "incompetent" and being manipulated by his third wife Gayle; a settlement was reached in 2017. A probate court gave Renée control of Shirley's Testamentary Trust in 2016.
- Owner of the NFL's the New Orleans Saints (May, 31, 1985 - March 15, 2018), and the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans (April 13, 2012 - March 15, 2018). Bought the Saints after Edwin Edwards told him that the team was on the verge of being moved out of Louisiana.
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