Birth date: Oct 19, 1954 Death date: May 26, 2024
Anita Louise Benes, age 69, of Grand Haven, Michigan, passed away Sunday, May 26, 2024, following a courageous battle with Leukemia. She is lovingly remembered by her sister, Ellen Benes Gedeon; nephews, Joshua (Carrie) Gedeon, Pa Read Obituary
Ellen texted me if I knew about her sister, as I just posted an obit about my friend on FB passing May 23rd. I was and still am really shocked! I would have been there to help grieve, and I honestly did not know she passed. Anita had connected with me recently. I was adopted out by their Aunt in 1955, and did not find my maternal side until 2003. The first time I met her was when she attended my daughter's graduation in 2003, and I greeted her thinking she was my daughter's teacher! She was shy and very beautiful. She was one of my first cousins that I have never met until that moment. The last time we spent together was along with her only sister after our mutual first cousin's mother's funeral on a cold day visiting our nearby maternal grandparent's grave, Anna and Frank Benes, in Grand Haven. I wish we had more time to spend getting to know each other, and I know this is a rant of anyone who is missing someone that they once knew. Reading tributes, I see she will be missed by many. I am blessed to have known her, if only for a little while, and claim her for my first cousin that is now an angel.
I was so sorry to learn about the passing of Anita. She was such a talented musician and I loved listening to her play with us at Shoreline. Her absence will be felt for a long time. My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones as you celebrate her amazing life.
I worked with Anita for years and she was always warm and welcoming to everyone. She loved to share stories, whether it was about her music, what she was working on in the house that week, to her latest adventures and love of Disney! Her joyful presence will be missed - Kate VanDerKolk
Anita was in our Bible study at Church of the Dunes. Her courageous spirit and steadfast faith will be remembered by all of us. She will certainly be missed!
To Anita’s family…..
Garth (my husband) & I are so sorry to learn that Anita has passed away…..we had hoped & prayed for a far different outcome. Please accept our sincere condolences.
Anita, Sue & I were college room-mates while at GVSU & have many good memories of our times together.
We ask the L-rd to especially comfort her family in the days ahead, & may they find peace in knowing she is in Heaven with Jesus. Some day a wonderful reunion will take place in Heaven & there’ll be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more separation from loved ones…….
May the G-d of peace bring you blessings of comfort in the days ahead……
Nancy & Garth Felton
Anita was one of my college roommates at Grand Valley, and we've enjoyed 50 years of friendship. Our birthdays are a week apart so we always made it a point to celebrate together, often by attending a dinner theater. We enjoyed cross county skiing, snow shoeing, walking the boardwalk in GH and indulging in either ice cream or a Pronto Pup. She was always interested in going somewhere or doing something together. Our last adventure before she got sick was Tulip Time 2023. After her treatment started last summer we shared many, many hospital visits. We had hopes for her victory over cancer, and had a long list of places we were going to go or things we were going to do once she was well, but that wasn't to be. Her faith is Jesus was strong till the end. She prayed for healing but trusted that her life was in God's hands, acknowledging that healing might not be His plan for her. Still, she clung on to her faith each step of this journey. Anita became a prayer warrior for others facing adversity, especially other cancer patients. You are missed, my dear friend. Our next adventures will be in Heaven.
Sue DeBoer
