Linda Lee (Lalor) BENEDICT

BENEDICT, LALOR, DIBBLE, SHINKER, WAYLAND

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/3/2008 at 22:23:48

June 2, 2008
Fort Dodge Messenger

Linda Lee Benedict, age 57 of Fort Dodge, passed away on Saturday, May 31, 2008 at Trinity Regional Medical Center after a sudden and unexpected illness. Linda was born April 8, 1951 to Archie and Dorothy (Dibble) Lalor, and was raised in Eagle Grove. She attended schools there, and graduated from Eagle Grove High School in 1969. Linda later attended Iowa Central Community College in Eagle Grove to earn an associate degree. A great deal of Linda’s childhood was spent with her family raising and showing Appaloosa horses. They traveled the country showing their horses, being together as a family, and developing friendships among other horse lovers that have endured a lifetime. At around age 12, Linda met a young boy while showing horses. They spent many more years showing horses together, getting to know each other, and that friendship developed into more. On October 2, 1971, Linda was married to Bill Benedict at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pomeroy, Iowa. She and Bill enjoyed 37 years of marriage, and their union was blessed with two boys, Bill and Brett.

With class and a competitive spirit, Linda became an accomplished rider and showman with horses. While showing horses, she earned numerous awards and trophies on local, state and national levels. Linda and her horse Kee’Yon dominated in the barrels and poles, and Linda proved that they were the duo to beat. Her son Brett carried on her legacy through his horse riding and showing, and Linda continued to enjoy horses while judging horse shows throughout the upper Midwest, and serving in roles as a director within the Iowa Paint Horse Club, youth advisor for the Iowa Paint Horse Youth Club, and as a National Director with the National Paint Horse Association. Linda had a fondness for babies and small children, feeding birds, and being the thoughtful friend that remembered peoples birthdays. Above all though, Linda’s family was her greatest joy. Linda always kept busy - whether raising her boys, doing household chores, cooking and baking, tending a garden, raising horses, working as a cook at the Arey Kitchen for the Ft. Dodge Schools, or shuttling her boys to and from athletic practices and other events, she always kept busy, and she always had a presence as the family matriarch. She also took great joy later in life watching her “grandpuppies”, and in 2004, she became the proud grandmother to Marcus. She took great pleasure in all the duties, privileges and extra fun that came with being called, “Grandma Linda”.

Linda was preceded in death by her father, H. Archie Lalor; parents-in-law, Charles and Katherine Shinker; and numerous aunts and uncles. Linda is survived by her husband, Bill; sons, Bill (Lisa) Benedict of Baldwin WI, and Brett (Jenny) Benedict of Halbur IA; grandson, Marcus; mother, Dorothy Lalor of Eagle Grove; brothers James (Laura) Lalor of Mason City, and Gary (Janice) Lalor of Eagle Grove; aunts and uncle Virginia Wayland, and Ray (Barb) Dibble of Youngstown OH; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and dear friends.

A Funeral Service for Linda Benedict will be held on Wednesday, June 4 at 11:00 AM at the First Baptist Church, 28 North 10th Street, Fort Dodge with Rev. Dr. Gary Grogan officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-8 PM on Tuesday, June 3 at the Lauferweiler-Sievers Funeral Home in Fort Dodge. Interment will take place at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Eagle Grove. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.