Mary Margaret Benfatti

April 2, 1922 - July 11, 2019

It’s with a sad but grateful heart that we are gathering to celebrate the life of our Aunt Mimi. She lived 97 awesome years.

She was born to parents who spoke primarily Italian.

She experienced everything from the Great Depression to the technology boom. She still couldn’t grasp cell phones or all the functions on the tv remote, but loved looking at everyone’s photos on facebook.

She lived in the same house from 1950 until 2013.

She saw a man walk on the moon for the first time on a tv invented after she was born.

She lived thru 17 presidents and excitedly voted for the first woman running for president.

She loved Vick’s VapoRub, and aluminum foil. We are still hoping to find she has 10,000 shares of Proctor & Gamble or Reynolds hidden somewhere - probably wrapped in foil.

She worked for Kress’s department store until they closed in 1980, as the right-hand woman of the regional manager for Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

She grieved the losses of her fiancé and her brother in WWII, her father not long after, she cared for her elderly mother (Nonny) until her passing in 1980.

The first several years of the turn of this century were filled with heartbreak as she lost her older sister Clara and nephew Jerry in 2000, her brother-in-law Turner in 2003, her nephew Bobby in 2005, her younger sister Rosie in 2006, and her niece Jenny Lou in 2018.

She loved the Astros and the Texans and would watch faithfully on Sundays, always with opinions about how they played!

But through it all...She made us laugh, and she made us pull our hair out. We wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

She is survived by her great-nieces Tara Blackwell, Angie Liollio and Dean, and Felicia Gann and David; and her great-nephews Johnny Blackwell and Shannon and Michael Blackwell and Sandra.

9 great-great-nieces and nephews: Stephanie Liollio, Sophia Liollio, Cody Blackwell and Erica, Josh Blackwell and Angie, Casey Blackwell and Jordyn, Jacob Blackwell, Tanner Blackwell, Steve Liollio, Alton Gann and 3 great-great-great nieces and nephews: Jaxon Blackwell, Easton Blackwell, and Amelia Blackwell. Niece Carolyn Blackwell and extended family Pat Daly, Beth Gamble, and Ashley Dalhart.

She was loved by many other family, friends, and neighbors.

We would like to thank Bertha Landa, Emily Martinez, and Sandra Blackwell for their loving and gentle care of Aunt Mimi in the last few months.

We will miss her greatly and we thank all of you for your kindness and support. Our Aunt Mimi was a feisty funny lady who loved people and she would have enjoyed knowing all of you.

Services will be held at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home in Oaks Mausoleum Tuesday, July 16, 2019 starting with rosary at 1:00 p.m. with funeral service to follow at 2:00 p.m.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialoaksfunerals.com for the Benfatti family.