| Bio | John Edward Benich
John Edward Benich, beloved husband, uncle and friend, died peacefully in his Kansas City home on February 12, 2019. He was 67. John died after a nearly 2-year battle with colon cancer. He lived life to the fullest, even after his cancer diagnosis. He loved to travel; eating, drinking and taking in the culture and art of the cities he visited. John was always the life of the party, radiating warmth and humor. He was born to John and Yvonnette (Johnson) Benich on August 3, 1951. John inherited his love of sports from his dad, who coached John and his teammates in community baseball leagues. He attended Van Horn High School and still maintains strong friendships with his fellow Class of '69ers. John made life-long friends "Baker Buddies" at Baker University, where he graduated in 1973 with majors in Political Science and Radio Broadcasting. He was a proud member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, Beta Tau Chapter. John worked with the railroad after college where his job required him to live for 6 months in various cities. He fell in love with New Orleans, before moving to Santa Barbara where he managed a band and learned woodworking. When his mother's health changed, he came back to Kansas City and started his own custom woodworking shop, Prairie Woodcrafters and Designers. He met his wife, Kathy, in 1988 and they married in the summer of 1992. They shared a love of travel, art, nature and spending time with friends and family. John will be missed dearly by his wife, Kathy; nephews, Cory and Christopher Burnam; niece Amanda Burnam; 4 great-nieces; 1 great-nephew; and cousins, Larry Garvin, Gary Garvin and Donna McLear. A celebration of John's life will be held on Sunday, March 3 at 4:00 PM at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art at 4420 Warwick Boulevard in Kansas City, MO. Please join us for food, memories and laughter. In lieu of flowers or a donation, please consider getting screened for colon cancer or encouraging a friend or family member to do so.
Published by Kansas City Star on Feb. 17, 2019. |
