Helen M. Benac
April 23, 1917 — January 2, 2015
Helen M. Benac (nee Popek), age 97, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 2, 2015 with her loving family by her side.
Helen is survived by two daughters, Janice (David) Stefka of Joliet, Mary Ellen (Gilbert) Giles of AZ; one son David (Kristine) Benac of CA; four grandchildren, Michael (Joan) Stefka, Karen (Greg) Wiegmann, Mark (Wendy) Giles, and Shannon (Jason) Smith; nine great-grandchildren, Nathan, Natalie, and Naomi Stefka, Joseph and Emma Wiegmann, Benjamin and Nicholas Giles, Regan and Andrew Smith; one sister, Joan (Arthur) Krieger; one sister-in-law, Virginia (the late Thomas) Popek; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Preceded in death by her husband, Victor Benac (1961); her parents, Anton and Mary (nee Nemanich) Popek; three brothers, Anton, Thomas, and Raymond (Josephine); and one sister Marie (Frank) Scheidt.
Helen was a lifetime parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Joliet. She graduated from St. Joseph School and Joliet Township High School class of 1935 and retired from the County of Will. Helen was a member of St. Genevieve Society, KSKJ, Slovenian Union of America Branch 20, Cantigny Post 367 VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Will County Retirees Association, and St. Joseph Senior Parishioners Club. She was a lifelong resident of Joliet and a resident at the Timbers of Shorewood since 2004.
A special thank you to the friends and staff at The Timbers of Shorewood as well as Rosewood Care Center and Joliet Area Community Hospice for their loving care.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Helen's name to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Joliet or Joliet Area Community Hospice would be appreciated.
A Celebration of Helen's life will begin on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 with prayers in the funeral home chapel at 9:20 a.m. then driving in procession to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Joliet for a Mass of Christian Burial to be held at 10:00 a.m. Interment to follow at St. Mary Nativity Cemetery in Crest Hill. Visitation will be on Monday, January 5, 2015 at Tezak Funeral Home, 1211 Plainfield Road, Joliet from 3-7 p.m.