Michael Ray Benfield, Sr. was born on July 10, 1941 in Kannapolis, North Carolina to parents Vardi Ray and Margie Etta Benfield. He died on June 11, 2026 at the age of 84, residing in Matthews, North Carolina.
He served in the US Marine Corps as a young man, which was a source of pride that remained with him throughout his life. He was deeply loyal and enjoyed simple pleasures. He loved old movies, crossword puzzles, telling stories, and making custom t-shirt prints. As a younger man he enjoyed playing guitar and singing for his children. In his later years he treasured every moment with his grandsons and loved bragging about them with anyone who would listen.
His memory will be cherished by his wife Caren Benfield, son Michael Benfield, daughter Taylor Sundara, son-in-law Santiphab Sundara, and grandsons Lucas and Milo Sundara.
