ANDY J. BENEDICT

BENEDICT
ANDY J.
Age 92, of Robinson Twp., died Monday, January 26, 2015. Born January 1, 1923, in Detroit, MI, he was the son of the late Andy and Katherine V. Benedict. Mr. Benedict was retired from the Parkway West Area Technical School since 1988. He was the husband of Dorothy Pavolko Benedict. In addition to his parents; and son, Damon S.; his sisters, Mrs. Mary Denuzzio, Mrs. Lucille Mendicino; brothers, Damon, Mark, Derry and Benny preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy A.; sons, Andy John (Margaret), Michael A. (Vicky), George J., and Jon A. (Rose); four grandchildren, Derek (Lindsay), Max (Whitney), Haley (Nick) Heslip, and Megan (Ryan) Melvin; six great-grandchildren, Milana, Natalia and Jack Benedict, Evelyn, Audrey and Nathan Heslip; also survived by his sister, Lena Maruhnich. Mr. Benedict was a veteran of World War II. He graduated from the Stuttgart Army Air Base Twin-engine Flying School with the Aviation Cadet Class of 44-B. He was a Commissioned Officer and the B-24 Bomber Pilot with the Fifteenth Air Force, based at Manduria, Italy. Mr. Benedict attained the rank of First Lieutenant after flying twenty-three missions over Nazi territory: ranging from Toulon, France in the West; Munich, Germany and Vienna, Austria in the North; and to one of the most heavily defended targets in Europe: the Ploiesti, Romania Oil Fields and Refineries in the East. Mr. Benedict participated in the following battles and campaigns: Southern France, Po Valley, Air Combat Balkans, Rome Arno, Northern Apennines. His decorations and citations included: European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Service Medal, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Distinguished Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, World War Two Victory Medal, Chevalier of the Legion of Honor of the French Republic Medal. Mr. Benedict was a member of the 15th Air Force, 450th Bombardment Group, 723rd Squadron Association. Mr. Benedict was active in the community, serving as an umpire in the Robinson Township Boys Baseball League. He was an officer and member of the Robinson Township Water Authority. It was during his tenure that the water treatment plant near Neville Island was built and put into operation. Mr. Benedict was the head of the Bishop Canevin High School Fund Raising Project for Holy Trinity Parish involvement under Reverend Kris Krismalski. After spending sixty years at the graphic arts trade, (he was a member of the International Typographical Union, Local No. 7 for thirty years), Mr. Benedict finished his working career teaching graphic arts at the high school level in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Parkway West Area Technical School in North Fayette Township. Mr. Benedict was a graduate, cum laude, of the University of Pittsburgh, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. Arrangements by JOSEPH M. SOMMA FUNERAL HOME, INC., Robinson Twp.
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