Paul A. Benoit

Paul A. Benoit Sr. of Venice, Fl died Thursday, April 27 from the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. He was born Sept. 10, 1922 in Greenwich, Conn., the son of Alphonse and Jane Benoit, and was graduated from Greenwich High School in January 1942. During World War II, he was a Marine staff sergeant, serving in the South Pacific. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Miami in 1950. In 1958, he married Jacolyn N. Walker, and the couple lived in Greenwich until 1999. In addition to this loving wife of 49 years, he leaves three sons: Paul A. Benoit Jr. of New York City; Todd Benoit and his wife Michele of Bangor, Maine, and Jeffrey Benoit of Lititz, PA. Mr. Benoit had four grandchildren: William, Peter, Emma and Christopher. During his long working life, he was often in construction-related fields, beginning with his family business in Greenwich, Benoit Brothers, as well as with manufacturers A.M. Byers Corp. of New York, Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. and Naylor Pipe Co. of Chicago. In his spare time, he always had a home-construction project going, including a major addition that began with his taking up a shovel to dig a basement and ending 13 years later with Jacolyn ordering curtains even if the windows hadn’t been fully trimmed out. Mr. Benoit had been a football halfback during high school and a tennis player and skier as an adult, but in the last four decades found his passion in running. He completed five marathons, including the Marine Corps marathon in Washington, D.C. at age 75, and countless shorter races. Through all of his running, he carried himself with fortitude and good cheer no matter the conditions. His enjoyment of the sport and of the many good friends he made through it gave him immense pleasure. He was most thankful, however, for his marriage and for the patient devotion of Jacolyn, whose support and encouragement gave him strength he did not know he had. Their commitment to each other outshone any of his considerable accomplishments.