Thomas Stephen Benko

Service Details

A Celebration of Life will be held in Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 6:00 pm with Fr. Terry Huebner officiating. Military honors will follow. Visitation will be in the funeral home on Thursday, June 6^th, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm.

Memorial Suggestions

Memorials to St Jude or Wounded Warrior Project have been suggested. 

Thomas Stephen Benko, age 86, passed away May 20, 2024, at home as he wished, with his wife by his side.

Tom was born October 14,1937 in Kenosha, WI. He was the youngest of 4 children born to Joseph and Josephine Benko. Growing up he could be found helping his parents at the family store, Joe’s Market. As a young man, Tom had a group of buddies that he hung out with, they liked cars and traveled to Daytona and Indianapolis to watch the races and remained lifelong friends. He was mechanically inclined and enjoyed working on his cars. In 1956 he joined the United States Marines and proudly served in Okinawa and Japan in the tank division. After returning home, he met his wife, Judy (née Crane), on a blind date. They married on June 25, 1960, and together they raised 4 children.

Tom worked at American Motors and in sales at H.A. Crane Co with his father-in-law before fulfilling his dream of owning his own business. First an Open Pantry and later Four Mile Food & Liquor.  Over the next 40 years, he employed his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other family members, friends and neighbors.  It was there he made many great memories and formed long-standing friendships with employees and customers.  He would reminisce about those days working at the store and talked about them fondly.

Tom and Judy had a wonderful circle of friends they cherished dearly with special mention of the Cains and Maddens whose friendship spanned over 60 years. It was with these many friends they traveled, enjoyed dinners, played cards, went camping and eventually owned cottages up north together enjoying great times, especially cocktail cruises, on the Chain O’ Lakes in Waupaca, WI. They also enjoyed winters in Florida with friends and family. Tom’s biggest joy, however, was his family and spending time with them, enjoying get togethers for holidays and birthdays, impromptu visits, fun times up north at the cottage and watching his grandchildren participate in various activities.

To cherish his memory are his loving wife of sixty-three years, Judy; sons Gary Benko, Billy (Teri) Benko, daughters Christine Benko, and Cheryl (Robert) MacDonald; grandchildren, Justin and Thomas Benko, Brandon and Sami Benko, Melissa and Mady Lopez, and Michael, Monica, Lily and Rory MacDonald, sisters-in-law Peggy Crane and Cory Robey; and many dear nieces, nephews, family members and friends too numerous to mention.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers Joseph, James (Sharon) Benko and sister Esther (Frank) Raucina, and in-laws Herbert and Irma Crane.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 6:00 pm with Fr. Terry Huebner officiating. Military honors will follow. Visitation will be in the funeral home on Thursday, June 6^th, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Memorials to St Jude or Wounded Warrior Project have been suggested.

The Benko family wishes to thank the staff at the VA in Union Grove and Milwaukee for all the outstanding care they provided Tom. Also, a special thanks to his buddies at Mario’s for their love and support.