Kenneth F. Benedetto

KENNETH F. BENEDETTO – of Woburn, Saturday, March 22nd. Beloved husband of Lynne (DeRosa) Benedetto. Devoted father of Sherri L. Benedetto and her husband Wade Winters of Woburn and Jodi L. Sullivan and her husband Timothy of Ashburn, VA. Dear brother of Philip Milano and his wife Sandra of Saugus and Joanne Schuster and her husband Robert of Stoneham. Cherished grandfather of Liana, Nikki, Kaitlyn, and Matthew. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Funeral from the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn on Tuesday, March 25th at 9:15 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Barbara’s Church, 138 Cambridge Road, Woburn at 10. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Funeral Home on Monday from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Interment in Woodbrook Cemetery, Woburn. Remembrances may be made in Mr. Benedetto’s memory to the Blind Dog Rescue Alliance, PO Box 63401, Philadelphia, PA 19114 or to the Northeast Animal Shelter, 347 Highland Ave., Salem, MA 01970. Proud member of Local #4 Hoisting and Portable Engineers Union.

OBITUARY:

Kenneth F. “Kenny” Benedetto passed away Saturday afternoon, March 22nd at the Aberjona Nursing Center, amongst his beloved family. The loving husband of Lynne (DeRosa) Benedetto, he was seventy-two years of age.

Born in Everett, he was the son of the late John and Anna (Larovere) Benedetto. Raised and educated in Everett, he was a graduate of the Everett Technical and Vocational School with the Class of 1959.

Following high school Kenny entered into the Barber profession for several years and then into the ranks of Local #4 Hoisting and Portable Engineering.

When he began, he worked seven nights a week, for seven years at the Deer Island Project. A very dedicated and hardworking gentleman, he could work those cranes that were at the very top of towers, to being five hundred feet down underground and at the end of a nine-mile tunnel.

While in high school, he was introduced to a lovely young lady, Lynne DeRosa, through mutual friends. In 1963, they married and had just celebrated their fiftieth anniversary last November. They remained in Everett for several years after their marriage and then found a beautiful new home the West Side of Woburn, where they have remained. Bringing two wonderful daughters into the world, he was actively involved in all the happenings in their lives. He cherished the time he spent with “his girls,” be it skiing in New Hampshire or Maine, their activities in school, or just enjoying each other’s company in the family room at home. Often the Benedettos supported the neighborhood children in their activities, particularly those who played hockey. They spent many an hour at the Joyce rink, cheering the neighborhood children on! Holidays were always very special times where the family would gather at home for the homemade Italian Feast first and then the traditional turkey dinner following.

As the children grew and their families began expanding, “Papa” became his name. He spent endless hours with his grandchildren making each moment special. He shared his love of children with those children at the Hurld School. When “Papa” retired, he became a Lunch Monitor for over five years, and absolutely loved it. His very kind, generous, nurturing disposition was a perfect match for that position, and the moniker “Papa” was a perfect fit. He worked right up until December of 2013, when he suddenly became ill.

“Papa” and his wife always enjoyed visiting friends in San Antonio, Texas or going away for weekends with their friends to the Balsams or to Virginia to catch up with their daughter and her family. He was also a very good and true friend to animals. While working at Deer Island he would feed all the cats, squirrels, and skunks. He also had traps which he would set up, and at the end of the week he would turn over cats and kittens to the Humane Society. He continued this tradition for years.

A very kind, gentle, funny, and courteous gentleman, he touched the lives of many. His family, though, was everything to him. The values and traditions which he has set forth of being respectful and honest to all boil right down to his motto on life, which was “always choose to do the right thing for everyone.”

In addition to his wife, Lynne, Kenneth is lovingly survived by his daughters, Sherri L. Benedetto and her husband Wade Winters of Woburn and Jodi L. Sullivan and her husband Timothy of Ashburn, VA; his siblings, Philip Milano and his wife Sandra of Saugus and Joanne Schuster and her husband Robert of Stoneham; and his grandchildren, Liana, Nikki, Kaitlyn, and Matthew, as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral from the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn on Tuesday, March 25th at 9:15 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Barbara’s Church, 138 Cambridge Road, Woburn at 10. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Funeral Home on Monday from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Interment in Woodbrook Cemetery, Woburn. Remembrances may be made in Mr. Benedetto’s memory to the Blind Dog Rescue Alliance, PO Box 63401, Philadelphia, PA 19114 or to the Northeast Animal Shelter, 347 Highland Ave., Salem, MA 01970. Proud member of Local #4 Hoisting and Portable Engineers Union.