Shirley Beneke

July 13, 2022

Shirley Beneke

Service Details

Shirley Jeanne (Siefken) Beneke died Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at Scottish Rite Park in Des Moines. She was born June 20, 1925 in Rembrandt, Iowa to R.J. and Emma (Rosene) Siefken. After earning her elementary teaching certification from Iowa State Teachers’ College (now University of Northern Iowa). Shirley taught fourth grade in Laurens, Iowa.

In 1947 she married Leland Beneke and they operated the family farm in Laurens for several years before his career change moved the family to Grinnell and then to Vinton. There Shirley taught remedial reading at the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School. Upon retirement in 2003, Lee and Shirley moved to Des Moines, Iowa. Shirley immediately began to volunteer as a reading tutor at Greenwood Elementary School. The loves of her life included family, gardening, card games, crossword puzzles, college basketball, and baseball, faithfully following the Chicago Cubs. She was recognized by the Des Moines Public Library for her ambitious reading list when she became homebound in later years. She was a long-time member of the Vinton Methodist Church, where she taught a junior high Sunday School class for many years, and the PEO Sisterhood. Shirley leaves a legacy of quiet service with the explanation that “help was needed” when she stepped in.

Shirley was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Lee, her parents, two brothers, and an infant son.

Survivors include daughter, Lynn Hilmers of Houston, Texas; son, Bill Beneke (Sallee) of Princeton, Illinois; daughter, Ann Beneke of Des Moines; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

A private burial will be held at a later date. The family wishes to thank the staff of the Rowan Unit for their compassionate care and suggests memorials to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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