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November 3, 2017
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 2-5 PM on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at the Green Pond Bible Chapel, 1083 Green Pond Road, Newfoundland, NJ. A Memorial service will follow at 6 pm.
Lewis “Lou” Vincent Benfatti, Sr., age 75 of Green Pond, passed away peacefully at home with the comfort of family by his side, on Friday, November 3, 2017.
Lou grew up in Paterson as the oldest in a family of 7 children. He was active at Paterson Central High School as a football, basketball, and baseball player. He was in two school plays with a lead role in Oklahoma.
Lou met the love of his life Judy Scripture during a Palm Sunday service in Totowa when she was 13 and Lou was 14. They were both in the choir where Lou told Judy to read the wrong lines in the hymnal! (This was the beginning of what would become 53 beautiful years together.) Judy followed his sports career from afar, but they went their separate ways until he was in college. Judy eventually went to one of his Montclair wrestling matches. They began dating after that. They were engaged at Mayfair Farms after Lou’s college graduation in June, and married in November. They have enjoyed a loving and devoted marriage of 53 years. Their first home was in Green Pond where they rented for 8 months and then bought a house in Bloomingdale. They moved back to Green Pond in 1971 with three kids, and soon were blessed with 2 more, and have lived there for the past 46 years. They considered Green Pond a special place to live and raise their children and now their grandchildren get to enjoy the special place Green Pond is.
Lou graduated from Montclair State University in 1964 with a degree in Physical Education and Health and where he also eventually completed his Masters degree in School Administration. He quickly began his teaching career at Jefferson Township and when the head wrestling coach position opened at Wayne Valley High School in Wayne, he moved there to teach both physical education and health. Along with coaching wrestling, he also coached football, track, and field hockey. He taught and coached at Wayne Valley until he retired in 2004.
He was also instrumental in starting a swim team in Green Pond to keep track of his own kids. By now there were five. His oldest child Jill is married to Danny and they have five children, Ally Gunther (Steve), Kristen, Danny Jr., Lindsay, and Connor. Robyn is engaged to Antonio and has three children; Kylie, Skyler, and Harrison. Lou Jr, is married to Jodi and has 4 children, Cole, Drew, Danae, and Gavin. Sheri is married to Rick and has 5 children, Olivia, Sydnee, Trevor, Landon, and Sawyer. His youngest child Dave is married to Vanessa and has 3 children, Gianna, DJ, and Mia. The kids are involved with many sports thanks to his leadership and encouragement. Lou was the loved brother of Vincent Benfatti (Irene) of Naples, FL, Mary Ann Smith (Joe) of Lakewood, Elaine Bisciotti (Bruce) of North Haledon, James Benfatti (Janet), and Lori Dougherty (John) of Bloomfield, and the late Ronald Benfatti.
Lou, Mr. Ben, Coach Ben, Papa Lou, Pop Pop, and Uncle Lou to most of the people at Green Pond will be lovingly remembered for his encouraging ways, positive attitude, and smile. He had a great sense of humor and was always ready with a funny saying, quip, quote, cliché, or pun. He had a gift for teaching, coaching, and motivating students to be the best they could be. He never shied away from hard work, was always punctual, and never had enough fire wood. This unattainable quest for enough fire wood would give him several injuries to his neck, hand, and leg. He was a get it done person who wanted the task at hand done yesterday. He will also be remembered for liking his food and/or coffee hot, not warm but hot! He was a great house painter, made many wooden outdoor Christmas decorations for his kids, and enjoyed boating. He was a lover of animals, had many dogs over the years, and will be greatly missed by his Golden Retriever named Chloe. He always enjoyed taking the dogs out for a walk, especially if he was in the doghouse himself. Most of all Lou was proud of his grandchildren. He unconditionally loved all of them and was by far the proudest Pop Pop at any of their activities he attended.
Lou was a longtime member of the Green Pond Bible Chapel and had a deep faith in his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One of his proudest accomplishments was passing this faith on to his family. He was very active at the Green Pond Bible Chapel with Youth Group, Couples Club, softball, and where since he retired, began the Upward Basketball program. He felt God had a real sense of humor placing him in this role, as this was not one of the sports he had ever coached.
In 1976, Lou and Judy took their first trip to Disney. This actually was the start of what would become an annual family trip that has given them much joy and pleasure. Some of their best memories were made there. Recently there was a family cruise to Bermuda which included 34 immediate family members and Lou’s sister Mary Ann and her family. Another favorite experience has been their annual trips to the Outer Banks with special friends every May.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Green Pond Bible Chapel, P.O. Box 99, Newfoundland, NJ 07435 would be appreciated. You can also donate online by visiting the church website at www.greenpondbible.org.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 2-5 PM on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at the Green Pond Bible Chapel, 1083 Green Pond Road, Newfoundland, NJ. A Memorial service will follow at 6 pm.
November 3, 2017
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 2-5 PM on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at the Green Pond Bible Chapel, 1083 Green Pond Road, Newfoundland, NJ. A Memorial service will follow at 6 pm.
Lewis “Lou” Vincent Benfatti, Sr., age 75 of Green Pond, passed away peacefully at home with the comfort of family by his side, on Friday, November 3, 2017.
Lou grew up in Paterson as the oldest in a family of 7 children. He was active at Paterson Central High School as a football, basketball, and baseball player. He was in two school plays with a lead role in Oklahoma.
Lou met the love of his life Judy Scripture during a Palm Sunday service in Totowa when she was 13 and Lou was 14. They were both in the choir where Lou told Judy to read the wrong lines in the hymnal! (This was the beginning of what would become 53 beautiful years together.) Judy followed his sports career from afar, but they went their separate ways until he was in college. Judy eventually went to one of his Montclair wrestling matches. They began dating after that. They were engaged at Mayfair Farms after Lou’s college graduation in June, and married in November. They have enjoyed a loving and devoted marriage of 53 years. Their first home was in Green Pond where they rented for 8 months and then bought a house in Bloomingdale. They moved back to Green Pond in 1971 with three kids, and soon were blessed with 2 more, and have lived there for the past 46 years. They considered Green Pond a special place to live and raise their children and now their grandchildren get to enjoy the special place Green Pond is.
Lou graduated from Montclair State University in 1964 with a degree in Physical Education and Health and where he also eventually completed his Masters degree in School Administration. He quickly began his teaching career at Jefferson Township and when the head wrestling coach position opened at Wayne Valley High School in Wayne, he moved there to teach both physical education and health. Along with coaching wrestling, he also coached football, track, and field hockey. He taught and coached at Wayne Valley until he retired in 2004.
He was also instrumental in starting a swim team in Green Pond to keep track of his own kids. By now there were five. His oldest child Jill is married to Danny and they have five children, Ally Gunther (Steve), Kristen, Danny Jr., Lindsay, and Connor. Robyn is engaged to Antonio and has three children; Kylie, Skyler, and Harrison. Lou Jr, is married to Jodi and has 4 children, Cole, Drew, Danae, and Gavin. Sheri is married to Rick and has 5 children, Olivia, Sydnee, Trevor, Landon, and Sawyer. His youngest child Dave is married to Vanessa and has 3 children, Gianna, DJ, and Mia. The kids are involved with many sports thanks to his leadership and encouragement. Lou was the loved brother of Vincent Benfatti (Irene) of Naples, FL, Mary Ann Smith (Joe) of Lakewood, Elaine Bisciotti (Bruce) of North Haledon, James Benfatti (Janet), and Lori Dougherty (John) of Bloomfield, and the late Ronald Benfatti.
Lou, Mr. Ben, Coach Ben, Papa Lou, Pop Pop, and Uncle Lou to most of the people at Green Pond will be lovingly remembered for his encouraging ways, positive attitude, and smile. He had a great sense of humor and was always ready with a funny saying, quip, quote, cliché, or pun. He had a gift for teaching, coaching, and motivating students to be the best they could be. He never shied away from hard work, was always punctual, and never had enough fire wood. This unattainable quest for enough fire wood would give him several injuries to his neck, hand, and leg. He was a get it done person who wanted the task at hand done yesterday. He will also be remembered for liking his food and/or coffee hot, not warm but hot! He was a great house painter, made many wooden outdoor Christmas decorations for his kids, and enjoyed boating. He was a lover of animals, had many dogs over the years, and will be greatly missed by his Golden Retriever named Chloe. He always enjoyed taking the dogs out for a walk, especially if he was in the doghouse himself. Most of all Lou was proud of his grandchildren. He unconditionally loved all of them and was by far the proudest Pop Pop at any of their activities he attended.
Lou was a longtime member of the Green Pond Bible Chapel and had a deep faith in his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One of his proudest accomplishments was passing this faith on to his family. He was very active at the Green Pond Bible Chapel with Youth Group, Couples Club, softball, and where since he retired, began the Upward Basketball program. He felt God had a real sense of humor placing him in this role, as this was not one of the sports he had ever coached.
In 1976, Lou and Judy took their first trip to Disney. This actually was the start of what would become an annual family trip that has given them much joy and pleasure. Some of their best memories were made there. Recently there was a family cruise to Bermuda which included 34 immediate family members and Lou’s sister Mary Ann and her family. Another favorite experience has been their annual trips to the Outer Banks with special friends every May.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Green Pond Bible Chapel, P.O. Box 99, Newfoundland, NJ 07435 would be appreciated. You can also donate online by visiting the church website at www.greenpondbible.org.
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