Beatrice Ann (Benidt) Webster
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020
Beatrice Ann (Benidt) Webster heard the voice of Jesus say, “well done good and faithful servant, enter into my Father’s house.” Bea entered eternity in a glorified body and renewed mind on Sunday,
November 15, 2020 at the age of 83 after a year-long battle with renal failure.
Beatrice was born to Edward and Louella Washatka in Medford, Wisconsin in 1937. She spent much of her childhood in Superior and Stevens Point, WI.
She attended college at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, where she met and married Lee
Wade, father to her five children. Beatrice went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Carroll College, attending night school while working full time and raising a family of five. She was an inspiration and role model to many as she advanced her career in the grocery business from cashier to vice president of Town & Country Supermarkets.
Bea was never one to retire or relax. She was an adventurous traveler and is one of few US residents who visited Russia when it was still the Soviet Union. Her second husband Charles Benidt (1928-2006) established the Charles E. Benidt Foundation in 2003 where she served as President and Executive Director for 13 years. She passionately supported and encouraged the people who do God’s work in the Milwaukee, WI and Phoenix, AZ metropolitan areas, as well as missionaries of the Lutheran Church serving around the globe. Bea went beyond simply funding charitable organizations; she offered her business savvy and vision to drive excellence in the projects the Foundation supported. Her creativity and bold confidence propelled others to dream big and achieve beyond their dreams.
Bea split her time between homes in Brookfield, WI and Scottsdale, AZ, where she exercised her passion for the Foundation’s work and her love of golf. In fact, it was golf that brought her together with her last love, Robert
Webster, whom she married in 2012.
Bea is greatly missed by her husband, Robert E. Webster and her children Calvin (Debbie) Wade, Christian (Natalia) Wade, Rebecca (Dale) Heiser, Amanda (Dan) Hiatt, and Shannon (Kevin) Wade. She leaves behind 9 grandchildren, Marc, Dustin, Jeral, Lucas, Hannah, Taylor, Kelsey, Riley, and Branden; 9 great-grandchildren, Chandler, Caleb, Lilly, Tyson, Charlie, Landen, Ragan, Rowan, and Elaina; and 9 grand-puppies. Bea is also dear to Bob’s 5 children and their spouses, who became very precious to Bea during their 8 happy years together. She also leaves a huge hole in the heart of Maureen Crowley, her colleague, sidekick, and friend for 25 years.
Beatrice was greeted in heaven by her parents, 2 brothers (Morris and Jack) and 2 sisters (Becky and Mary), and Chuck Benidt.
A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held in the spring of 2021 in the Milwaukee, WI area. Details are yet to be finalized. Please contact Calvin Wade (262-366-6645) or Amanda Hiatt (502-432-5516). Beatrice will be interred at Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee, with the assistance of Harder Funeral Home of Brookfield.
For those who wish to honor Bea’s legacy, memorial donations are suggested to any of the following organizations:
Sojourner Family Peace Center, 619 W. Walnut Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212 To donate online, go to: https://www.familypeacecenter.org/donate Desert Foothills Lutheran Church (Capital Campaign), 29305 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85266. Indicate “capital campaign” in the memo line of the check.
To give online, go to: https://desert-foothills-lutheran.givecloud.co/ Phoenix Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 6708, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6708 To donate online, go to: https://phoenixrescuemission.org/ and click on DONATE NOW.
The OccuPaws Guide Dog Association, P.O. Box 45857, Madison, WI 53744 To donate online, go to: https://occupaws.org/how-to-help/donate/