April 12, 1955 - October 26, 2018
Maria Estela (Stella) Benavides, 63, passed away at home on Fri., Oct. 26, 2018 surrounded by her loving family. Stella graduated from Sacramento State University earning a BA in Liberal Arts. She worked at Head Start Child Development Counsel for 37 years and the Community Action Partnership of Kern County as the Education Manager / Disabilities for the past three years, where she was responsible for assisting with the overall planning of the comprehensive Infant/Toddler Program. Stella loved her work and the caring staff and families she served. Stella enjoyed celebrating monthly Sibling Days with sisters, brother, nieces and nephews where they would reminisce of olden days and enjoy great meals together.
She was Godmother and Tia to many nieces and nephews and extended her caring reach to her grandnieces and grand-nephews embracing and loving each as her own. Stella will be deeply missed by her surviving sisters Margaret Benavides, Sylvia Garcia (Joe), Yolanda Benavides, brother Salvador Benavides, Jr. (Irma), brother in laws, Anthony Santa Cruz, Ray Medel, and Joe Takhar, nephews, nieces, grand-nephews and grandnieces. Stella is preceded in death by her father, Salvador Benavides, Sr., mother, Maria de Jesus Benavides, sisters Virginia Santa Cruz, Isabel Medel, Linda Benavides Galindo, her nephew, Vincent Michael Maahs, Sr. and grand niece Alexandria Young.
VISITATION AND SERVICE AS FOLLOWS
Viewing will be on Thursday, November 1, 2018 from 1:00pm to 6:00pm with the Rosary at 6:30pm at Vineyard Chapel at Cherokee Memorial Park located at 14165 N. Beckman Road, Lodi, CA 95240. Burial Celebration will be held Friday, Nov. 2nd at 10 am at Cherokee Memorial Park, located at Harney Lane and Hwy 99, Lodi, CA 95240.