Alfred L. Beneke

Alfred Lawrence Beneke passed away on September 6, 2017.  Alfred was born to Fred Beneke and Clara Riffel on February 9th, 1934 at home.  The room he was born in is now a shed on the farm, known as the birth place. Alfred was baptized as an infant into the Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Lincolnville, Kansas. He was confirmed in 1947. His confirmation verse was Matthew 26:41.

Alfred went to parochial and country school until the eighth year of his schooling. In first grade his older sister was his teacher. After the eighth grade, he went to Lincolnville elementary school and later went to high school at Lost Springs where he graduated in 1951. Alfred joined the army in January of 1955. He was first stationed in California for basic training at Fort Ord. He was then on to Chicago for Radar Training and finally to Scofield Barracks in Hawaii.

Alfred left the military in December of 1956 and married his childhood sweetheart, Berneda Joyce Lehman, on January 20th, 1957. This union brought six children; Melony Beneke, Mike (Cindy) Beneke, Kathryn, Lois, Beth (Mike) Dillon and Allen (Molly) Beneke.

Alfred later married Donna Jean Adams Peterson in April 1988. This union added three step-children; Daine (Kathleen) Peterson, Curtis (Marcy) Peterson, and Troy (Cristina) Peterson. This combined family brought together a total of 26 grandchildren, 15 significant others, and 11 great-grandchildren, with three more on the way, soon.

Alfred farmed since he was a young boy and continued to maintain the home place at Beneke Hill until his passing on September 6, 2017. In his 40’s he served on the school board, the CO-OP board, and was President of Saint John’s Lutheran Church congregation, as well as many other activities.  Alfred was an active lifelong member and leader in 4-H.

Alfred’s hobbies include tinkering with things around the farm to keep it running. Alfred will always be remembered for his sense of humor and being a hard worker.

In the 1970’s he worked in the oilfields for Kansas Drilling; first as a rough neck and later as a driller. He began work at Fort Riley in 1986 as a heavy equipment operator and continued until his retirement in April 1996.

Alfred is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Laverne, sisters Lorena and Evelyn. He is survived by his wife of the home, all of his children, and numerous grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

We will gather to remember Alfred at the Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Lincolnville, Kansas on Saturday, September 9th, 2017 at 2 pm. Burial will be at Lincolnville Cemetery. Refreshments will be shared, along with stories of Alfred’s life, at Saint John’s Lutheran Church basement following the cemetery.