Marvelous New Pics from Mary Pulda

 ...Mary Pulda just sent me a collection of wonderful family photos, a few of which we've all seen, but many were a surprise and a delightful contribution to our online family directory. I was especially moved by the photos of the early years for our grandma and granpa Bencriscutto. I only knew them as an older retired couple, but the photographs reveal that yes, once they were a young attractive couple thriving in America growing their family...our family!

For some of our younger family members, there are exceptional pictures going back to the founding of our family that hopefully you can look at with a more seasoned member of the family to explain their significance...Thank You Mary...ENJOY!!

...On the Anniversary of Mike's Passing...March 5, 1990

 ...written by Kathryn Bencriscutto

Happy endings? 

The title to these writings is self evident to my life's journey as the daughter of a self made man who rose from the Italian American backyard gardens in his stature of community honesty and a golf talent second to none in his epoch in the Midwest. He was always voted player of the year or teacher of the year throughout my life, and always called upon for Executive PGA committees in rulings of tournament play for that sound judgment, and comprehension of the sport, in an honesty that brought the best out of his constituents. 

Of course in raising four daughters was even a more sobering concern for his life's duties, in addition to making it his business to support his family by teaching a whole city how to play golf and later a whole international strata, his abilities, with a wife he always loved and admired till his last endearing departing words to us to be good to each other and our one true creator above all to finish high.. by saying; "Don't forget to raise your right heel"... 

A phrase he repeated to us throughout our lives about our lessons in golf and life.. One, being of the 'follow through' of our golf swings - he made us show him sometimes - not on the golf course but, from his living room chair when our family was casually all sitting around before breakfast, in our PJ's. 

I later wrote in a poem for the 18th hole .. " our farewell arms locked strong a promise to finish high and swing it honest"....published in the Racine Journal Times March 5, 2008 __18 years after his passing.

But it was a great antagonism that always brought out the very truth between us in the history of our time together growing up with this thoughtful gentleman we called Dad. What allot of the public saw was more than making winners ... It was consoling the losers, the dreams he built in his successes and the tears he privately shed over the disillusionment of a heartless society he stood up to.

My purpose in bringing out these feminine qualities of an American Woman was his attitude of self leadership and conscience of integrity. He gave and gave all to us his family, his faith in doing the right thing. 

He didn't have time for anything less. Too many people wanted for his attention. The Payne Stewarts the "Dean Martin Open" Celebrities, country club owners his golfing community he was always loyal to, and winners he tried to help along the way like Johnny Miller, the Masters students like Tommy Aron, and a myriad of international students all vying to get time with him. kept me looking for the glint in his eye that still constantly noticed if I was un-loved or out of line. 

He was a strongly honest man and extremely independent. People who wanted to climb on his bandwagon were"t always just his children They were the children of the Junior Masters. And that was a very large club.

Looking from the outside in sometime at a parent's actions can mold the entire personality of its child. What I gleaned most was how though many criticised him, in the civic arena of public golf...most people didn't"t or couldn't because of his diplomacy and unfaltering integrity of his genuine fairness and sometimes painstaking honesty. 

So yes I gleaned to be true to myself as the desire that left me on the path to acquire my own autonomy so that I NEVER had to forfeit my freedom from being a slave to vice, dishonesty, not doing my best. Kathryn Bencriscutto

Rita's Precious Family Photos...a Few More...

 

 

 

More Precious Photos from Rita's Archives...

 

Some La Famiglia Pics from Rita

 Rita was recently going through some of her archive of old family pics and decided to share these precious photos with us...

Steve Klinkhammer...October 10, 1954 - March 09, 2023

 

 https://meredithfuneralhome.com/obituaries/stephen-phillip-klinkhammer.142941

 

October 10, 1954 – March 09, 2023

Stephen Phillip Klinkhammer, 68, of Racine, Wisconsin passed away at home after several bouts of Covid, pneumonia and inoperable lung cancer.

Stephen was born in Racine on October 10, 1954, to Phillip H. and Faythe (Nee: Newton) Klinkhammer. Stephen was raised in Hancock, Michigan and graduated from Hancock High School in 1972. Stephen joined the Navy out of high school and served two tours in Vietnam. He was on the USS America (CVA66) in the Gulf of Tonkin when the war ended in 1973, and served again with Surgical Team 6, attached to the 2nd/9th Marines for the evacuation of refugees from Saigon in the spring and summer of 1975 setting up refugee camps and providing care for them in camps from the Philippines to Guam. 

 

After being honorably discharged in June 1976, Stephen attended UW Madison and UW Parkside obtaining a degree in Psychology and Interpersonal Communication. He interned at the Racine Underground Safe House (RUSH) where he met his bride to be. Stephen worked as a counselor until returning to the medical profession and becoming a registered nurse in 1981. His nursing career spanned 47 years and lead him to becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in 1995. A proud Mayo School of Health Sciences graduate Stephen worked in numerous anesthesia settings from government and military to academic and private practice. Stephen went on to obtain degrees in Management, a Master of Business Administration, Master of Nurse Anesthesia, and a Nursing Doctorate. Stephen was a nationally recognized simulationist and taught new generations of nurse anesthetists the tricks of the trade at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science as well as across the country via multiple conferences. One of his proudest achievements was being elected to the Board of Directors of the National Board for Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists.

Stephen married Rita Helen Bencriscutto on May 6, 1978, and together they produced 4 boys, Justin, Adam and identical twins Jordan and Zachary.

Stephen was preceded in death by his parents Phillip and Faythe, his brother Paul, his son Adam, granddaughter Harmony and in-laws Santo and Mary Bencriscutto.

Stephen was an accomplished musician and had been involved in the Racine music scene for over 40 years. Stephen was a co-founder of Thoughts for Food™, a benefit for the Racine County Food Bank. Stephen also co-founded a long running food event food event making and selling Pasty (a Flemish pastry with veggie and meat filling) with proceeds supporting local veterans and the Racine County Food Bank. 

 

Stephen was an active member of the veteran’s community with life memberships in the VFW 9948, VVA 767 and the Wisconsin Association of Concerned Veterans. He is past Commander of VFW Post 9948 and past President of Racine Area Veterans, Inc. Stephen was involved in the recent rehabilitation of the Racine Legacy Museum and Veterans Museum, bringing this historic landmark back to a rendition of its glory days.

Stephen was devoted to his family, his community, and the world at large. Number two was never good enough when number one was open. Science meant everything and Stephen based his decisions on the available facts. A somewhat difficult individual to get to know, first impressions always led to discovering the big teddy bear underneath that was willing to give all to make the world a better place. If there was a poster child for a dry sense of humor, Stephen would have been it.

Stephen is survived by his wife of 44 years Rita, his three sons, Justin, Jordan and Zachary, daughter-in-law Chris Fabio, Deanna Vorhes, Sammi Vorhes, grandchildren Destiny Klinkhammer, Faith Klinkhammer, Deacon Klinkhammer, great grandson Henry Marquis, Brother Eric Klinkhammer, sister-in-law Gail Klinkhammer and sister Susan Studebaker, In-laws Frank and Darlene Fabio, best friends Bill May, Rick Fink, and John Bowen, and of course his crazy, huge silver lab, Mia. Also surviving are brothers and sisters in law Bruce and DeDe Bencriscutto and Bill and Thanh Bencriscutto, nieces, nephews, and friends worldwide.

A private service will be held Wednesday, March 29, 1:00 PM. The service can be live-streamed and viewed by going to the funeral home’s web page, select Stephen’s page and select live-stream.

Interment with Military Honors will be held at the Southeast Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery on April 27th at 1pm.

Please….. no flowers. Stephen was not a flower guy. Any donations should be to Rita Klinkhammer and will be family directed from there.

The Klinkhammer family plans to hold a celebration of Stephen’s life late summer/early fall, all will be invited.

Stephen wishes peace and good music to all! He asks that you make a difference and enjoy a Pasty!

Thank you and God Bless!