John Henry Benningfield, 79

John Henry Benningfield, 79, died peacefully at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell on Dec. 22, 2019 at 10:45 a.m.

Born Aug. 23, 1940 in Rock Island, Illinois, he was the third child of Henry B. Benningfield and Laveta A. Benningfield (Hootman).

He was a longtime member of the Worldwide Church of God since 1970 and later Living Church of God and United Church of God, An International Association. Moving back to Whitefish from the White Mountains of New Mexico in 2014, he was a retired machinist and teacher.

Preceding him in death are his older brother, Bascom F., and his oldest sister, Alta May. He had a brother, Frank, whose whereabouts are unknown. His youngest surviving brother, Tuck, resides in Florida.

His oldest son John Jr. preceded him in death in 2013. There remain three surviving children, James Alan, Candace Elizabeth AbdElHamed (husband Nour AbdElHamed) and Andrew Scott, and their mother, Barbara N. Bitner.

He had three grandchildren, Zachary Robert Watson, Drew Eugene Watson and Rebecca, and five great grandchildren thus far, including Adelyn Ruth Watson and Xavier Ray Watson. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020 at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home.

Burial will take place in his family burial plot, in Albright Cemetary in Kokomo, Indiana. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory caring for the family.