Barbara Jean Benecke

Barbara Jean (Zimmerman) Benecke, 65, Ledgeview, entered life eternal with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the early morning hours of November 30, 2021, with John at her side. The daughter of Karl and Joyce (Dumdei) Zimmerman was born June 2, 1956 in Wausau , WI.  She was a 1974 graduate of Wausau High School. In 1978, she received BS degree in elementary education from U.W. Eau Claire. Barb and John met in Wausau in August 1975 while he was living in Brokaw on a long term work assignment for his company.  Barb and John were engaged for 2.5 years while she finished university. We had a long distance relationship because John had to move back to the office in Green Bay. Barb married John P. Benecke June 17,1978, at Zion Lutheran Church, Wausau,WI. In June they celebrated 43 years together. Barb worked as a nursery school teacher at De Pere Cooperative Nursery School for 19 years which was located in the First Presbyterian Church, De Pere. She cared much for the children and did the entire music program. In her youth she liked to downhill ski at Sylvan Hill and Rib Mountain.  John introduced her to cross country skiing and we did this every winter. Barb and John were called to and shared a mutual passion for prison and jail ministry. They started their own ministry, Refiner’s Fire Ministries, Inc., in 2004 and in 2008 they incorporated the ministry as a non-profit 501c3 corporation.  Their passion to share the Gospel in prisons and jails led them to Grand Cayman Island, Belize, Island of Roatan Honduras, Cozumel Mexico, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Hawai’i. Barb enjoyed the outdoors and hiking. Barb and John took many rides on the back roads of northeastern WI and enjoyed walking along Lake Michigan in Algoma, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, and Two Rivers. They also enjoyed many two week vacations in late June at their time share in Treasure Island, Florida. Barb also enjoyed traveling and we traveled to Israel in 1979 to visit her aunt Bernice and uncle Robert who lived in Tel Aviv. Other trips Barb and John enjoyed included Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, The Netherlands, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. Other trips included many states in the USA. But most of all Barb treasured her time in the jails and prisons sharing the Gospel with inmates.  

Barb is survived by her husband, John; daughter Elizabeth De Pere and special friend Ben Wipfli, Bellevue; four grandchildren, Corporal USMC Ian and Lillian Benecke, Kailua HI; Mason Benecke, Ledgeview, Parker Benecke, De Pere; Audrey Benecke, De Pere; brother Mark Zimmerman; niece, Mazzy Zimmerman, and nephew, Arthur Zimmerman all of Austin TX; sister-in-law, Linda Rusche, Madison; niece Debbie (Austin) Young, Wadsworth OH and great nieces and nephew; special cousin David Zimmermann Albuquerque NM; cousin Beth (Mike) Fingado, Galveston TX; one uncle, Carl Boettcher, Wausau; cousin Judy (Paul) Henning, Wausau; other cousins and friends.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lloyd and Audrey Benecke; aunt Bernice (Zimmermann) and Robert Jacobson, uncle Gerhardt Zimmermann, aunt Mavis (Dumdei) Boettcher; and nephew, Philip Rusche.  

Family and friends may visit at Cotter Funeral Home, Denmark Chapel, 536 County Road R in Denmark from 9:00 am Thursday December 9,2021 until funeral service at Noon with staff minister Michael Hennig officiating. Interment in West Danish Cemetery, Denmark. In lieu of flowers memorials for various Christian charities would be appreciated. On-line condolences can be expressed at www.cotterfuneralhome.com.

Barb’s family would like to thank the Fourth Floor nurses and physicians who attended to Barb for their care and attention.