Obituaries

Michael Beneke

Photo of Michael Beneke
Mr. Michael Beneke, age 52, passed away on Thursday, November 5, 2020. Michael was born on January 12, 1968, in Spokane, Wash., to Bill Beneke and Patricia (Mark) Beneke. On June 6, 1992, Michael married Christy (Wingate) Beneke in St. Martins, Missouri. Michael graduated from Cole R-V high school in 1985. He then went on to graduate from Lincoln University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics. Michael spent about four years as a high school math teacher and decided to go back to college. In 2003, he received a Master's Degree in Computer Sciences. Michael enjoyed teaching computer programming and was an Adjunct Professor at Westminster College starting in 2007. After a few years, he accepted a job as an Information Technologist III for the Office of Administration for the State of Missouri and recently moved up to an Associate Applications Developer. He worked for the State of Missouri Office of Administration, Information Technology Services Division starting in 2012. While working for the state, Michael also worked as a tutor for Columbia College, starting in 2011 until this year. He was hired as a math tutor but was known to help students with their work from all sorts of classes. Michael truly enjoyed being a part of the Columbia College Jefferson City staff and continuing to use his teaching skills to help the college students progress in their various subjects. Michael was an avid comic book collector and had been reading and collecting since middle school. Over the years, he had dragged his family to comic book conventions, Superman festivals, and several other comic book related gatherings. He met published artists, famous actors and acquired an extensive collection of artwork, collectibles, and memorabilia, especially for his favorite character Shazam. He was also a huge sports fan. Michael held St. Louis Rams season tickets for the entire time the Rams were in St. Louis and rarely missed a home game. He also loved the Chiefs, the Blues, the Cardinals, and the Royals. If it was a Missouri team, he had a shirt to wear while watching their games. Likewise, his family attended games for all of these sports and were convinced to stand in line to receive autographs from many of the professional athletes. Michael enjoyed going on family vacations. When he was young, his family went on camping trips and skiing trips together. When he got older, he convinced his own small family also to go camping across country and go on a few of the larger Beneke family skiing trips to Colorado. To know Michael was to know that he thoroughly combed the local newspapers for charity related events to attend. He was known for driving to all sorts of places around Missouri for some charity meal and their silent auctions. More often than not, he walked away, the winner of many odd prizes from those different silent auctions that later became "treasured" gifts for his loved ones. Michael is survived by his loving wife, Christy Mae, their children, Mayson and Robert, of Jefferson City, Missouri; his father, William "Bill" Beneke of Sunrise Beach, Missouri; his brother, Jeff Beneke and wife Arla; his niece, Jessie Lynn of Peculiar, Missouri; his uncle, Glen Mark, and aunt, Teri Powers, of Portland, Oregon. Michael is also survived by his nephew, Jesse; nieces, Camryn and Morgan Wingate on his wife's side of the family; as well as his father-in-law, Lanny Wingate of Centertown, Missouri; brother-in-law, Jase Wingate and wife Julie of Centertown, Missouri; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Patricia Beneke of Sunrise Beach; his grandparents, Robert "Bob" Mark and Beatrice (Hjelle) Mark of Kennewick, Wash.; as well as his mother-in-law, Sallie Kiesling of California, Missouri. The Celebration for Life for Michael will be held on January 9, 2021 with the time to be announced later at Windmill Ridge Funeral Service in California, Mo. Online messages to the family may be contributed at www.windmillridgefuneralservice.com.

Published November 11, 2020