Willard C. Benish, 89, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, February 18, 2018 at Ascension All Saints Medical Center. He was born in Chippewa Falls, WI, on May 23, 1928, and was the son of the late Milton and Florence (Nee: Milling) Benish and was raised on a dairy farm.
He proudly served in the United States Army as Corporal. On May 10, 1952 he was united in marriage to Eleanor M. Barstow. He was employed by S.C. Johnson Wax for thirty-nine years, retiring December of 1991. Willard enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and especially to Hawaii, Alaska, and the Bahamas.
He was a loving and devoted father who will be dearly missed by his loving wife of sixty-five years, Eleanor; his children, Florence (Virgil) Michels, Thomas (Sue) Benish, Cynthia Benish, Mark (Sheri) Benish, Sandra (Dana) Lawrence, Timothy (Traci) Benish, Theresa (Morris) Sims, Lisa (Jack) Tcheordikian, all of Racine; 13 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his children, Patrick Benish and Diane Benish; five sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 11 a.m. at St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church with Reverend Steve Varghese officiating. Interment with Full Military Honors will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Hwy 32. Relatives and friends may meet with the family Friday at the church from 10 a.m. until time of Mass at 11 a.m.
Memorials to the Alzheimer’s Foundation have been suggested.