Thomas J. Benish, Jr., 72, of North Huntingdon, passed away on March 15, 2026. Born on July 25, 1953, in Greensburg, he was the son of the late Thomas J. Benish, Sr., and Evelyn Dugan Benish. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by many aunts and uncles.
Tom is survived by his loving wife, Donalee (Baklarz) Benish, stepchildren Natalie (Bruce) Jackson and Christopher (Carrie) Trunick, grandchildren Avi and Zoe Bunn and Caiden Trunick, nephew Matthew Rygelski, and godson Brent Jacoby. He cherished attending the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron Reunions with his father, a highly decorated veteran of the 5th Air Force in the Southwest Pacific. His passion for dancing began in the disco era and later flourished into ballroom dancing after he met Donalee; together they graced dance floors across Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The couple also enjoyed drag racing in Pennsylvania and Norwalk, Ohio, where Tom took special pride in his ’68 Impala, known as the “Stealth Bomber.”
A mechanically inclined man, Tom worked as an assembler for Elliott Co. and as an operating engineer at the Philadelphia Schuylkill Power Station, Ohio Valley Hospital, and Point Park University, where he earned his B.A. in Human Resources Management. He shared his love of the outdoors with his grandson Caiden, spending many peaceful afternoons fishing together at Indian Lake.
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