Hillsboro - Gail Arbutus Benish, age 83, of Hillsboro, died Wednesday afternoon, January 25, 2023, in her home. She was born on September 28, 1939 in Chicago, IL, the daughter of Otto and Mildred (Dank) Havel. Gail was united in marriage with the love of her life, Donald Benish of Hillsboro on May 22, 1971, in Chicago, and moved to Hillsboro.
Gail and Donald welcomed the birth of their first child, Jason Otto Benish, on May 29, 1976. On November 3, 1977, they welcomed the birth of their second son, Steven Donald Benish. Gail was a fantastic mother to her sons and loved them dearly. Gail and the “3 men in her life” lived a humble life in rural Hillsboro where the boys grew up with the values, support, education, love, and guidance, instilled onto them by Gail.
Gail was an avid reader and writer. She wrote a series of short stories based on her life growing up in Chicago with very little money. One of her favorite pastimes was reading novels ranging from romantic love stories to science fiction. She always loved to keep her mind busy doing crossword and crypto-quote puzzles from the Sunday paper. She showed an affinity for the English language and made sure to pass that along to her sons.
Gail worked for many years at the Hillsboro Sentry Enterprise where she enjoyed writing articles on a variety of topics. After she moved on to the Hillsboro Farmer’s Co-Op working in data entry, Gail spearheaded the Co-Op’s monthly newsletter that served as an important pipeline of information to their members. Having a deep connection to the Czech heritage, Gail was fluent in Czech, cooked and baked many delicious Czech recipes, and was heavily involved with Cesky Den for many years starting with the inaugural year.
Gail got along with most everyone she met. She enjoyed going out and having a drink with friends, relatives, and strangers alike. She could strike up a conversation with anyone and become their best friend. She was likeable. She was self-sufficient. She was strong. She was fearless. She had no care of offending people because of her opinions. She didn’t back down, was strong in her resolve, and was unfiltered at times. She was a special woman, a person you only come across once in your life if you’re lucky; she was truly one of a kind and she will be missed immensely.
Survivors include: her husband Donald; two children, Jason (Ann) Benish of Mequon, WI, and Steven (Michelle) Benish of Windermere, FL; four grandchildren: Graham, Nicolas, Kinsley, and Nolan; a brother Daniel (Carol) Havel; and many other beloved relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Life visitation will be held at Picha Funeral Home in Hillsboro on Saturday, February 11, beginning at 10 AM with the service beginning at 11 AM. Following the service, a Celebration Luncheon will take place at the Hillsboro Community Center from Noon to 2 PM. We hope that every life Gail touched will be able to attend.
The Picha Funeral Home in Hillsboro is assisting, for online information go to www.pichafuneralhomes.com
Picha Funeral Home
