Joan Benoit

1923 - 2010

JOAN LAMONTAGNE BENOIT Homemaker, philanthropist, world traveler and longtime Riverside resident Joan LaMontagne Benoit passed away Sept. 15 after a long battle with heart disease. She was 87. Joan was married 43 years to Jerome "Jerry" Benoit, who preceded her in death in 1989. She was a longtime parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Riverside. She was born July 19, 1923, in Kankakee, Ill. She lived in Riverside since 1967. Previously she resided in Anaheim; Garden Grove; Tucson, Ariz.; and Kankakee. She graduated from St. Patrick\'s High School in Kankakee in 1941 and received a bachelor\'s degree from Mundelein College in Chicago in 1945. Joan was a generous supporter of and an active participant in her church. For many years, she held weekly prayer meetings in her home and taught adult Bible courses at St. Thomas\'. Joan was very creative and tirelessly donated her time and materials to decorate the altar at St. Thomas\' in Riverside and previously at St. Anthony Claret Catholic Church in Anaheim. She was particularly proud of her Christmas Nativity scenes. She also contributed to many other charitable organizations and was a lifelong activist in Republican political causes. She enjoyed repeated trips to Europe and Asia and also traveled widely throughout the United States. She especially relished cruises with her husband, sister, sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren. Joan and her husband were avid RVers and participated in many camp-outs, particularly with their longtime friends from Anaheim and Riverside. After her husband\'s death, she reveled in outings with a group that calls itself the Wacky Widows. She is survived by her three sons, Mark and Paul Benoit, both of Riverside; John Benoit, of Bermuda Dunes; a sister, Ruth Schwartz, of Kankakee; daughters-in-law Sheryl and Trish; grandchildren Benjamin, Tiffany, Sarah and Pary; and great-granddaughter Abrielle. Another daughter-in-law, Desiree, passed away in 2006. A brother, Patrick LaMontagne, preceded her in death in 1998. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for her Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 3774 Jackson St., Riverside. She will be laid to rest with her husband in Riverside National Cemetery.