Rev. Louis Benes lll

Rev. Louis H. Benes, III, went home to be with his Lord on Wednesday, July 30th, at Holland Hospital surrounded by his family. He was born in Albany, New York on February 27, 1934 and is the son of Rev. Louis H. Benes II and Alberta Kingma Benes.

He graduated from Hope College and Western Theological Seminary in 1958. He was the pastor of churches at English Neighborhood Reformed Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey, Unity Reformed Church in Muskegon, Michigan, First Reformed in Sheldon, Iowa, Grace Reformed Church in Wyoming, Michigan, and retired from a staff position at First Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jo Ann (Bast) and his children Louis IV "Chip" (Ivi) Benes, Elisabeth (Michael) Davidson, Karen (Michael) Newland, David (Ruth) Benes, Martha (Mike) Keating, and Mark (Karen) Benes, 16 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, sisters Ruth (John) Roundhouse, Dorothy (Ray) Weiss, and brother Paul (Marilyn) Benes and sister-in-law Janet Elzinga, brothers-in-law Tom Bast, Dave (Betty Jo) Bast, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers-in-law Robert Bast, Paul Bast, and granddaughter, Sara Keating.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, 10:00 a.m. at First Reformed Church, 630 State Street with Reverends Dave Bast and Dan Gillett. Burial will be at Pilgrim Home Cemetery.

Friends may call on the family tonight from 5-7 at the Mulder Chapel Dykstra Funeral Homes, 188 W. 32nd Street.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Words of Hope.