Raymond R. Benestante, Jr.

Ray attended Briargrove Elementary School, Rogers Jr. High, and Lee High School. He met his wife, Martha when they were in the same sixth grade class. After Briargrove, they attended Rogers and Lee together and remained friends throughout their school years. They reconnected when Ray was home visiting his family in Houston in 2012. They were seldom apart after that, marrying in June of that same year. They were married over 12 years. As one mutual friend said, “Their devotion to each other was beautiful!” He called her Marty, it was so endearing! They were like peanut butter & jelly-they just went together so well.”

Ray was an exceptional baseball player and was offered several partial or full college scholarships. However, he had always dreamed of being a policeman and joined the Houston Police Department in early 1974.

He went on to serve in the Patrol, including the motorcycle division, narcotics division, including undercover Narcotics & the Juvenile division, including sex crimes. Ray was promoted to Sergeant, at the time he was the youngest person in HPD to attain the level of Sergeant and was very proud of that honor. During his time at HPD he received several honors & commendations. Ray loved his time at HPD.

He also enlisted in the Navy while at HPD through a program that each entity had worked out in order for this to happen. While being an active police officer Ray went on to serve in the Navy, Naval Intelligence & Naval Reserves. He was very proud to serve his country in the Navy and continued to talk about it with his wife and had a few pictures they would look at together.

Ray was later approached by the government to serve his country in a top security clearance capacity. He accepted the offer from the government and retired from HPD to begin another chapter in his life. He also held various positions in the automotive industry including General Manager of multiple locations within the Apple Automotive Group. His government job was an important patriotic portion of the various roles he played in his adult life. He also was very successful within the Apple Automotive Group.

He is survived by his loving wife, Martha (Finnegan); his mother, Billie Rue; his sisters, Debbie, and Cam and her husband Jeff; his brother, Anthony; his son, Chris; his daughters, Julie Cooper and her husband Mark, and Brigit; and his grandchildren, Colin and Kate Cooper.

He is also survived by Martha’s brother, Bill Finnegan and his wife Susan; her sister, Mary Corbett and her husband Tony; her daughters, Mariann Dunwoody and her husband David, and Hallie Thompson and her husband Matt; her son, Phillip Hablinski; and her grandchildren, David, William, Claire, and Holden Dunwoody, and Mamie, Charlie, and Louise Thompson. He is also survived by numerous loving nieces & nephews on both sides of their family plus numerous cousins. They each had large loving families that he was incredibly grateful to have in his life.

He is pre-deceased by his father, Raymond R. Benestante, Sr.; and his nephews, Marc Anthony Benestante, and Nick Finnegan.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Ray’s honor be directed to the Nick Finnegan Counseling Center, 2714 Joanel Street, Houston, TX 77027, or the charity of your choice.

A memorial service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 17th of October in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

Immediately following all will be invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent grand foyer.

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