John Benfatti

John Luke Benfatti, 81, of San Antonio, passed over to Eternal Life at seven o’clock in the morning on July 6th, in the Year of Our Lord, 2026.

A visitation and viewing will take place in Midland, Texas, at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home on Monday, July 13, 2026 from 5 to 9 pm, with the simple Vigil Service at 6:30 pm. On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the Funeral Liturgy will take place during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church at 10 am, followed by the Rite of Committal at Resthaven Memorial Cemetery.

John was born on May 17, 1945, in Houston, Texas, to John Andrew (d. 1954) and Mary Agnes Benfatti (d. 1996).

A man of determination, John put himself through college in order to realize the American dream envisioned by the Benfatti and Billeri immigrants from Sicily so that he could provide for his family what he himself had not known.

He married Michele Elise Donaho on 31 July 1966 in Houston, with whom he would gratefully rear his two children, Liza and John.

John served his country in the United States Army, deploying to Korea in 1969 in the US 38th Artillery Brigade, “B” Battery. He was given letters of commendation for excellence of duty, and top security clearances for his role in programs of missile and radar system development.

In 1971, he took his wife to Midland, where he would have an accomplished career in the West Texas oil and gas industry. He was always known as a businessman of honesty and integrity, sometimes to a fault.

Following his beloved wife’s premature death, John was given a second chance at life when he married Carol Ross-Farmer in late 1997, with whom he had the gift of spending almost thirty years of precious and holy matrimony.

After retirement, his precise sensibilities lent to his becoming an expert hobbyist of antique clock restoration and firearm ballistics and ammunition production. He spent his otherwise well-earned leisure time on the golf course, making new friends and irritating himself and anyone who cared to be near him.

John is survived by his wife, Carol, his children, Liza Lam and Fr. Solanus Maria, CFR, his stepson, Michael Farmer and his husband Brian Borkowicz, his son-in-law, David Lam, his grandchildren Avery and Matthew, and his sister, Mary Frances Zucha.

He is preceded in death by his first wife, Michele (8 October 1996).

The family expresses its profound gratitude to the caring medical professionals of Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, to innumerable dear friends, neighbors, and fellow parishioners throughout the decades, and, above all, to those who prayed for him to be prepared to meet God, the Father of Lights and every true consolation. The prayers of so many Consecrated Men and Women, and the Eucharistic Sacrifice offered for him by countless priests, have been of particular solace. They ask you to pray with them, “Jesus, I trust in you”.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and their works with the poor at franciscanfriars.com/donate.

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