Kathryn Joan Benak

Kathryn Joan Benak, a resident of Dothan, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 22, 2016 at a local hospital. She was 84. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, September 26, 2016 at St. Columba Catholic Church with Father Patrick Maher and Father Johnny Celzo officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday evening from 4-6:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, 14 Pennsylvania Plaza, Suite 1710, New York, NY, 10122. Mrs. Benak was born on August 10, 1932 in Omaha, Nebraska to Anton and Catherine Cherek. She attended Immaculate Conception School and Church. Later, she graduated from South High in Omaha. After high school she met the love of her life, Ed Benak. As a result of Ed being in the service, she and her growing family lived in various locations, ultimately settling in Dothan, AL in 1960. As a busy wife and mother she was active as a volunteer in several community organizations, including PTA, the Dothan Service League, and her church, St. Columba Catholic Church. Kathryn adored her family and loved to pull them together for birthday parties and her big Christmas Eve family fellowship. She remained active with her morning walks, and enjoyed gardening and cooking for her large family. As a wise counsel to her family, "Mimi" will be dearly missed. Mrs. Benak was preceded in death by her sisters, Delores (Lloyd) Martin, Evelyn (Edward) Machacek, and Eleanor (Leonard) Ulanowski. Survivors include her husband of 63 years, Edward James Benak Sr.; her children, Ed (Dottie) Benak, Bob (Beth) Benak, Bill (Belinda) Benak, Steve (Treva) Benak, Linda (Dennis) Winnett, and Mike (Jennifer) Benak; her grandchildren, Matthew (Hannah) Benak, Kathleen (Daniel) Flickinger, Meghan (Matt) Brandt, Joseph (Lauren) Benak, Stephen Benak, Andrew Benak, Kyle (Anna) Benak, Kris (Jessica) Benak, Valerie (Joey) Trieb, Mallory Benak, Kaylee (Reid) Waldrip, Brynn Benak, Eryn (Carlos) Viscarra, Bryan (Narineh) Grucza, Michael Benak, Cara Benak, and Anna Kathryn Benak; her great-grandchildren, Emmy Viscarra, Elly Viscarra, Xander Grucza, Sam Waldrip, Grayson Benak, Emily Benak, and Kate Benak; her brothers, Mark (Rosary) Cherek and Tony (Rita) Cherek. www.SunsetMemorialPark.com.