IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Wilbur Thomas
Benoy
February 28, 1917 – January 9, 2015
Obituary
Wilbur Thomas Benoy passed away on Friday, January 9, 2015, at Fairhaven in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He was born on February 28, 1917, near Holcombe, Wisconsin. He was the fourth of nine children born to Edwin and Ida (Nelson) Benoy. The death of Ida in 1929 left Edwin alone to care for his nine children and instilled in them the value of family love and support that endured throughout their lives. The family farmed near Avoca, Wisconsin, for several years before relocating to Greenwood, Illinois in 1932. Wilbur graduated from Woodstock (Illinois) High School 1937.
On April 23, 1941, Wilbur was inducted into the Army as part of the first peace-time draft in the history of the United States. He became part of the 111th Infantry Regiment and served state-side throughout 1941 and 1942. Along with other members of the regiment's medical detachment, Wilbur spent the summer of 1943 in Atlanta, Georgia, where he successfully completed the course for Surgical Technicians and was promoted to Tec 5. In November, 1943, he shipped out for Hawaii where he was stationed at the Unit Jungle Training Camp on the island of Oahu tending to the medical needs of soldiers rotating through that facility on their way to war in the Pacific. In January, 1945, the 111th was assigned to guard duty on Peleliu, a small coral atoll in the island nation of Palau. Wilbur remained in Palau through the end of the war. He was honorably discharged at Camp Grant, Illinois, on November 19, 1945, just two days before Thanksgiving.
Wilbur married Pearl Ethel Smith on February 19, 1943. They shared their anniversary with Pearl's parents and enjoyed celebrating together. In 1947, Wilbur and Pearl moved to rural Walworth County, Wisconsin, where they operated a dairy farm and raised their four daughters. The farm was the center of family activities until their retirement in 2003 and they moved to nearby Lake Wandawega. In 2010 Wilbur and Pearl moved to Fairhaven.
Wilbur believed in the value of community involvement. He supported his daughters' school and 4-H endeavors. He was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church where he helped with youth groups, served as a trustee and volunteered in many other ways. He was active in Walworth County Farm Bureau. His life taught us that you do things not because they are convenient, easy or popular; you do them because they are the right thing to do.
In his retirement, Wilbur enjoyed furniture refinishing and gardening. He was grateful for extra time to participate in church and community activities and was honored when Bethel Church recognized him for leading the parsonage remodeling project. He helped transport supplies to victims of the Barneveld tornado in 1984 and was especially moved by that experience. He and Pearl also enjoyed visiting friends and relatives throughout the US and traveling to England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico and Guatemala. A particularly memorable trip was back to Hawaii in 1997 with the entire family to celebrate his 80th birthday and see how things had changed since 1943. Wilbur was an avid Milwaukee Brewers fan and enjoyed watching the Packers on TV.
Wilbur is survived by Pearl, his wife of 71 years and by four daughters: CoEllen (Keith) Sterwald of Bella Vista, Arkansas; Melodie (Donald) West of Elkhorn; Bonnie (Rodney) Benson of Madison; and Pamela (John) Duerst of Whitewater. Additionally, he is survived by his AFS daughter, Maya Walkington-Stauber; his sister Althea Walkington; his sisters-in-law Arlene Benoy and Marilyn Benoy; and a brother-in-law, Sam Smith. He is further survived by his seven grandchildren: Patrick Reedy, Holcombe, WI; Angela Heiling, Beaver Dam, WI; Jean Madsen, Watertown, WI; Jodi Aron, Whitewater, WI; Neil West, Whitewater, WI; Meghan Anderson, Waukesha, WI; Brian Duerst, Milwaukee, WI. He is also survived by twelve great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren and over 50 nieces and nephews.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Bethel United Methodist Church. The family would also like to say a special thank you to all of the staff at Fairhaven for their wonderful and special care they provided while Wilbur lived there.
A memorial service will be held for Wilbur at Fairhaven of Whitewater in their chapel at 11:00 AM on Thursday January 15, 2015, followed by a luncheon and visitation. Wilbur will be laid to rest at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery earlier that day. An online guest registry can be found at www.haaselockwoodfhs.com. Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Home and Crematory of Elkhorn is assisting the family with the arrangements.
On April 23, 1941, Wilbur was inducted into the Army as part of the first peace-time draft in the history of the United States. He became part of the 111th Infantry Regiment and served state-side throughout 1941 and 1942. Along with other members of the regiment's medical detachment, Wilbur spent the summer of 1943 in Atlanta, Georgia, where he successfully completed the course for Surgical Technicians and was promoted to Tec 5. In November, 1943, he shipped out for Hawaii where he was stationed at the Unit Jungle Training Camp on the island of Oahu tending to the medical needs of soldiers rotating through that facility on their way to war in the Pacific. In January, 1945, the 111th was assigned to guard duty on Peleliu, a small coral atoll in the island nation of Palau. Wilbur remained in Palau through the end of the war. He was honorably discharged at Camp Grant, Illinois, on November 19, 1945, just two days before Thanksgiving.
Wilbur married Pearl Ethel Smith on February 19, 1943. They shared their anniversary with Pearl's parents and enjoyed celebrating together. In 1947, Wilbur and Pearl moved to rural Walworth County, Wisconsin, where they operated a dairy farm and raised their four daughters. The farm was the center of family activities until their retirement in 2003 and they moved to nearby Lake Wandawega. In 2010 Wilbur and Pearl moved to Fairhaven.
Wilbur believed in the value of community involvement. He supported his daughters' school and 4-H endeavors. He was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church where he helped with youth groups, served as a trustee and volunteered in many other ways. He was active in Walworth County Farm Bureau. His life taught us that you do things not because they are convenient, easy or popular; you do them because they are the right thing to do.
In his retirement, Wilbur enjoyed furniture refinishing and gardening. He was grateful for extra time to participate in church and community activities and was honored when Bethel Church recognized him for leading the parsonage remodeling project. He helped transport supplies to victims of the Barneveld tornado in 1984 and was especially moved by that experience. He and Pearl also enjoyed visiting friends and relatives throughout the US and traveling to England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico and Guatemala. A particularly memorable trip was back to Hawaii in 1997 with the entire family to celebrate his 80th birthday and see how things had changed since 1943. Wilbur was an avid Milwaukee Brewers fan and enjoyed watching the Packers on TV.
Wilbur is survived by Pearl, his wife of 71 years and by four daughters: CoEllen (Keith) Sterwald of Bella Vista, Arkansas; Melodie (Donald) West of Elkhorn; Bonnie (Rodney) Benson of Madison; and Pamela (John) Duerst of Whitewater. Additionally, he is survived by his AFS daughter, Maya Walkington-Stauber; his sister Althea Walkington; his sisters-in-law Arlene Benoy and Marilyn Benoy; and a brother-in-law, Sam Smith. He is further survived by his seven grandchildren: Patrick Reedy, Holcombe, WI; Angela Heiling, Beaver Dam, WI; Jean Madsen, Watertown, WI; Jodi Aron, Whitewater, WI; Neil West, Whitewater, WI; Meghan Anderson, Waukesha, WI; Brian Duerst, Milwaukee, WI. He is also survived by twelve great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren and over 50 nieces and nephews.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Bethel United Methodist Church. The family would also like to say a special thank you to all of the staff at Fairhaven for their wonderful and special care they provided while Wilbur lived there.
A memorial service will be held for Wilbur at Fairhaven of Whitewater in their chapel at 11:00 AM on Thursday January 15, 2015, followed by a luncheon and visitation. Wilbur will be laid to rest at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery earlier that day. An online guest registry can be found at www.haaselockwoodfhs.com. Haase-Lockwood & Associates Funeral Home and Crematory of Elkhorn is assisting the family with the arrangements.
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