We are men who lead, serve, protect and defend, whether we are giving out Coats for Kids, donating wheelchairs, lending a helping hand in disaster relief efforts, supporting local pregnancy centers or providing top-quality financial products.
Benny Sikorski, a beloved husband, loving father and
grandfather passed away on November 14, 2015. Bennie
retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel after 23
years of service. His military career started in Texas and
took him to many military bases including France
Vietnam, and Korea. He began his second career with
General Dynamics and Computer Science Corporation.
Bennie was predeceased by his wife of 54 years,
Virginia. He is survived by his daughter, Belinda; son,
Michael, and wife Mikke and grandson Sean; sister Mary
Grace Pavik; brothers Stanley Sikorski and Father Louis
Sikorski; sister-in law, Euncie L. Balke: cousins, nieces,
nephews, caring friends and extended family.
What the Knights of Columbus remember most about
Bennie was his commitment to service. Although never
one to garner attention for himself, he helped many a
neighbor or friend with whatever they needed – he was a
precursor of Knight Hands. And as his daughter said
“he could do anything”. And so he was the go to guy in
the neighborhood. It was also common knowledge that
he could diagnose a troubled car engine and recommend
the solution over the phone. Quite a guy
We will, for sure, think of Bennie at every fish fry for
years to come. He was the official inspector of the newly
purchased catfish and the man who got them ready for
the frying pan – and he took that job very seriously.
Often he could be heard saying “these catfish from
Cambodia are no good; we need to buy American grown
fish”. Well, eventually that’s exactly what happen – we
now serve only American farm fed catfish at our Lenten
fish fries. He was there for every fish fry early so as to
be able to thaw out the fish before the Knights arrived to
fry them. And it wasn’t so much the work he did as the
attitude he carried with him about the work. This was
work done for others and he was serious about getting it
right. And that smile – we’ll always remember that eye
twinkling smile where you weren’t exactly sure if he was
putting you on or just glad to see you.
Bennie was 84 years old when he died and much of his
time was spent in foreign parts of the world. For the time
he spent here with the Knights of Columbus, he will be
remembered and missed.
