Avis Beneda 1923-2015
Avis Lorraine Beneda, 92, of Holton, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015 at Medicalodges Jackson County.
Avis was born May 3, 1923 in Oberlin, the daughter of Harry and Hattie (Bliss) Armstrong. She and her two sisters, Phyllis and Frances, were raised on a farm outside of Oberlin. She graduated from Decatur County High School in 1940. She moved to Denver, Colo., and married Melvin Beneda, also of Oberlin, on Dec. 28, 1941, in Oberlin.
Following World War II, Avis and Melvin lived in Denver, where they raised four daughters. Avis was involved with her daughters in Campfire Girls, 4-H, Girl Scouts and Job’s Daughters. She served as a member of the Beach Court PTA from 1949 to 1967. She visited shut-ins as a member of the Unity Chapter 97, Order of the Eastern Star. Her sewing and cooking abilities served her well in all of these roles as well as wife and mother. Her cinnamon rolls, cookies and loaves of bread were highly regarded gifts.
Avis and Melvin moved to Holton in 1996. Avis was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Holton. Avis sewed baby blankets for the Crisis Pregnancy Center.
Avis is survived by four daughters and their husbands, Judy and Don Swisher, Janette and Bill Smitham, Janell and Niles Riese and Jerrilee and Gerry Bender; five grandchildren, Danette (James) Sampson, Dena Swisher, Deb (Nate) Luther, Will (Angie) Smitham and Madison Beneda-Bender; six great-grandchildren, Taylor and Dillon Harned, Satin Swisher, Tyler D’Ovidio and Sophie and Charlotte Luther; her sister and brother-in-law, Frances and Charles Rucker of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; and a cousin, Bernice Sievier. Avis was preceded in death by Melvin and a sister, Phyllis McCartney.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 at Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Burial will be the following day, Sunday, in Oberlin Cemetery, Oberlin, Kansas. The family will greet friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Mercer Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to Holton Community Hospital Hospice, sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. To leave a special message for the family, please visit www.mercerfuneralhomes.com
(PAID OBITUARY)
