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July 7, 1938-Jan. 26. 2023

Herman Francis Beneke, 84, of Dowagiac, passed away Thursday morning, Jan. 26, 2023 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo.
He was born on July 7, 1938, in Blue Island, IL, the son of Herman and Bertha (Sill) Beneke. Herman was a veteran of the United States Navy serving four years from 1955-1959. On Oct. 11, 1958, he was united in marriage to Joan Huizenga in Dowagiac. Herman was a contractor who worked for Portage Construction in Indiana and Beneke Construction until his retirement. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, camping, birdwatching and gardening.
Surviving are his wife of 64 years, Joan Beneke; four children, Herman (Vanessa) Beneke of Aurora, IL, Cristina (Gary Crouch) Goss of Elkhart, IN, Joanne (Bryan) Haas of Cassopolis and Deanna Beneke; nine grandchildren, Katherine, Melissa and Kristen Beneke, Gabriella (Zak Kight) and Elizabeth Goss, Meghan (Austin) Kropp, Mason (Cass) Haas, BryAnne and Wyatt Haas; great-granddaughter, Linda Joan Kropp; two brothers, Dan and Paul Beneke; numerous nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Fritz.
Preceding him in death were his parents; three brothers, Ralph, Richard and Wayne Beneke; one sister, Caroline Zieder; and son-in-law, Michael Goss.
A service to celebrate Herman’s life will be held at 1 p.m., on Sat., Feb. 4, at Clark Chapel-Starks Family Funeral Homes, 405 Center Street, Dowagiac, where friends may visit with the family from 12 p.m., until the time of services. Fr. Arul Lazar will officiate. Memorial contributions in Herman’s name may be directed to West Michigan Cancer Center, SPCA of Southwest Michigan or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Those wishing to share a memory of Herman online may do so at www.clarkch.com