Sheila Jean Benda

Sheila Jean Benda, 60, of West Concord, died on March 11, 2026, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester. She was born on May 3, 1965, in Owatonna to Robert and Carol (Chelmo) Round. Raised in West Concord, Sheila graduated from West Concord High School and earned a degree in accounting from the University of Minnesota Rochester. She began her career in the accounts receivable department at Mayo Health Systems before marrying her high school sweetheart, Terry Benda, on June 1, 1985, at the West Concord Methodist Church. The couple purchased her grandmother’s house in West Concord, where they raised their two sons, Joshua and Derek. Later in her career, Sheila became a Certified Nursing Assistant and found deep fulfillment working in nursing homes and assisted living facilities until her stroke.

Sheila’s greatest joys centered on the outdoors and time spent near the water. She cherished fishing, always beaming with a smile while holding a pole, and embraced lake life whether visiting her parents’ cabin on Cedar Lake, planning family trips to Leech Lake, or watching her grandchildren play on the sandy shores of Lake Esquagama. She loved sitting on the deck surrounded by the beauty of Terry’s flower garden and taking peaceful golf cart rides to enjoy the fresh air.

Above all, Sheila treasured her family. She was known for hosting lively holiday gatherings that filled their home with loved ones. An excellent cook who learned from her grandmother and inherited her treasured cookbooks, she generously shared her recipes and kitchen wisdom with her daughters-in-law, Rachel and Kayla.

She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Terry; sons Joshua (Rachel) Benda and Derek (Kayla) Benda; grandchildren Charlie, Khloe, and Kinzlie; her mother, Carol Round; her brother Tony (Molly) Round and his children Morgan and Brennen; and many siblings-in-law, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Bob Round, and her parents-in-law, Joseph and Barbara Benda.