Kenneth "Kenny" H. Benzinger

Kenneth “Kenny” H. Benzinger, age 93, of Parkers Prairie, died on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at St. William’s Living Center in Parkers Prairie.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, August 24, 2024, at St. William’s Catholic Church in Parkers Prairie with Fr. Jeremy Theis officiating. Interment will take place at the church cemetery. Full military honors accorded by the Minnesota Honor Guard and the Parkers Prairie American Legion Post #219.

Visitation will begin with the rosary at 4:45 p.m., followed by parish prayers and conclude at 8 p.m. on Friday, August 23rd, at Lind Family Funeral Home in Parkers Prairie. The visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.

Kenneth Hubert was born on September 30, 1930, to Archibald and Gertrude (Becker) Benzinger in Effington Township. He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith. Kenny attended country school in Effington Township, north of Block Lake. When Kenny was 15, the family moved to Chicago, where he worked at Wrigley Field and sold newspapers outside the stadium. After about a year in Chicago, Kenny returned to the “home place” in Effington Township. He made the journey by bicycle, sleeping in cornfields along the way.

Kenny's entrepreneurial journey began with trapping bait to sell to local bait shops and transporting hay throughout Minnesota. In 1953, he enlisted in the United States Army, serving in Germany until his honorable discharge in 1955. Upon returning home, Kenny channeled his enterprising mindset into starting a hog and cattle business, buying and selling livestock across the state.

Kenny was united in marriage to Marie Lenarz on March 15, 1960, at St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Henning. Together, they lived and operated Sunset Resort on Block Lake from 1960 until 1966. After selling the resort, they moved back to the “home place” and lived there until 1970, when they moved into their newly built home off County Highway 6. Kenny continued his hog and cattle operations until his retirement in 1987.

After Marie passed away in 2000, Kenny remained at home until 2016, when he moved into McCornell Courts Assisted Living in Parkers Prairie. He was a member of St. William’s Catholic Church.

Kenny loved playing baseball in his younger years and took great pleasure in watching his sons follow in his footsteps with the Urbank/Parkers Prairie Bombers. He also loved golfing, hunting, fishing, and going to casinos, where he specialized in Blackjack. Above all, Kenny cherished spending time with his family, especially watching his granddaughters play sports.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marie; siblings, Herbert Benzinger, Kay Balow, Delores Sakowicz, Rosella Balow, Helen Fromme, Grace Hernandez, and Marion Trail.

Kenny is survived by his two sons, Vic (Joyce) Benzinger and Lonnie (Nancy) Benzinger both of Parkers Prairie; six granddaughters, Kayla Benzinger, Jenna Benzinger, Alayna (Justin) Thoennes, Megan Benzinger, Emily (Adam) Lund, and Avery Benzinger; five great-grandchildren, Boston, Rafael, Lucina, Jayden, Parker, and one on the way; sister, Elaine Maskal; along with many nieces, nephews, and other relatives. 

Pallbearers are Dennis Klimek, Keith Benzinger, Kevin Becker, Pat Bettin, Dennis Behnke, and Dick Lanigan.