Sister Janet Benish
Sister Janet Benish (nee Dorothy Claughton) passed away at the Talbot Center on February 13, 2014, aged 92. Born May 20, 1921 in Denver, CO, she was the eldest of four children.
A writer, she wrote a book of poetry, “Angels’ Advocate”, with her sister, Maggi Nolan and had poems published in various publications throughout the years. She was briefly married to Bill Benish, an artist, in the late 1940s. She worked as a bookkeeper in the early 1950s before converting to Catholicism and becoming a cloistered nun. In the late 1970s, she left the cloistered life, but maintained her vows. She worked for the House of Charity in Spokane, WA before becoming a bookkeeper for Sacred Heart Hospital, which she retired from in 1989 at age 68.
She moved to Kent, WA and lived at Harrison House from 1994 to 2013. In retirement, she worked at P.I.C.C., caring for babies born to drug addicted mothers for which she received the Governor’s award.
She is survived by her sister, Maggi Nolan, one nephew, four nieces and their families, and numerous friends. A memorial mass will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 304 Third Ave South, Kent, WA, St. Anthony’s Chapel, at 10:00 am, March 21, 2014.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
