Myra Constance Beniger

Myra Constance Beniger, long-time resident of LaGrange Park, Illinois, passed away at the age of 88. Myra spent her entire life in the Chicago area. She is preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Anne Golob Beniger, and her dearly beloved friend and folk-dancing partner, Dr. Robert Land, retired nuclear physicist at Argonne National Laboratory.

Myra also leaves behind beloved cousins David Bostick and family from Pittsburgh; Andrew Bostick and family from Saint Charles, Missouri; and the family of her late cousin, Basil Detinio from Chicago.

Myra graduated from Northwestern University School of Nursing in 1956. During her decades-long career, she cared for patients in Chicago and Suburban Cook County. She cared for patients in hospitals, and she worked as a public health nurse and school nurse. Her life’s motto was “Once a nurse, always a nurse.”

Myra and her parents were active in the Slovenian community, including the Slovenian National Benefit Society, SNPJ. Her father was editor of the SNPJ newspaper Prosveta. Myra was a member of SNPJ Lodge 559 in Chicago. Myra will be buried next to her parents and her beloved friend, Robert Land, in the SNPJ section of Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park.

`Myra attended numerous singles groups in the Chicago area, including Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago, where she met Dr. Robert Land--the love of her life--in 1972. She was also a long-time member of Southwest Archdiocesan Singles (SAS). For many years she attended the Ascend singles group at Christ Church of Oak Brook.

Bob and Myra were very active folk dancers. At one point, they belonged to about a half dozen folk dancing groups and went dancing almost every night of the week. Most notably, they were long-time members of the Argonne Folk Dancers where they had many friends.

Myra had a lust for life and a very strong will to live. Her family was blessed with longevity. Her mother lived to be 91, and two aunts lived to be 96 and 98. Myra may well have had many more years ahead of her. But she was no match for the coronavirus.

Myra was most fortunate to have many people who loved and cared for her. She was especially grateful for the staff of the ASK ministry at Christ Church of Oak Brook who visited her often at her apartment. She was especially grateful for her pastor--Ken Lehman--who faithfully visited Myra during her last 3 years in a nursing home.

She was especially grateful for her dear friends, Julie Voirol and Richard, Karen & Kevin Widler who called and visited her often and provided much love and companionship. She was especially grateful to Dr. Robert Land’s nephew, Dr. Alan Bloch, who visited from Atlanta. To her many other friends who loved her, she was also most grateful. “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40).