Deanna Beneke

Deanna Heather Beneke, 50, of Dowagiac, passed away surrounded by her family on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo.

Deanna was born on November 18, 1974, in Dowagiac, where she spent most of her life, with work taking her to different cities in Indiana and Illinois. She never met a stranger; she could strike up a conversation with anyone and make new friends anywhere.

A jack-of-all-trades, Deanna worked a variety of jobs throughout her life, and was proud to have handled accounts with Conn Selmer, manned the cage at the casino, and ushered at Notre Dame games.

During her time off, Deanna enjoyed the lake life – being at the beach and fishing. She was an avid music-lover and was known for her karaoke rendition of "Go Your Own Way," by Fleetwood Mac. She loved to play card and board games, chief among them being Yahtzee, Cribbage and Euchre. She enjoyed traveling, recounting her trip to Cabo and looking forward to trips to Florida with her mother.

Above all, Deanna loved spending time with her family, friends, her dogs Bud and Miller, and the kids around the neighborhood. She enjoyed being a permanent member of the "kids' table" at family events.

Deanna is survived by her mother, Joan Beneke; three siblings, Herman (Vanessa) Beneke IV, Cris Goss (Gary Crouch), and Joanne (Bryan) Haas; nine nieces and nephews; a great-niece and great-nephew; and her two loyal dogs. She was preceded in death by her father, Herman Beneke III.

A service to celebrate Deanna' life will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, November 14, at Clark Chapel – Starks Family Funeral Homes, 405 Center St, Dowagiac, where friends may visit with her family from 1:00 PM until the time of service. Interment will follow in South Wayne Cemetery. To share a memory or offer condolences, please visit Deanna's personalized webpage at www.clarkch.com.