Paula Benningfield

Paula Rae Therese’ Donnelly Benningfield was born Sept. 6, 1947 to Paul Everett and Marjorie Tanis Brown Donnelly. She attended the Idaho State School for the Deaf and Blind, Soda Springs High School, and Idaho State University. She received a BA in Elementary Education in December of 1973, and a Masters in Early Childhood Education in May of 1982. She taught at Lewis and Clark Elementary, first as a kindergarten, then as a 1st grade teacher for 32 years retiring from full time teaching in 2006. She continued as a part-time teacher until 2015.

She was married to Kelley Ray Benningfield on September 2, 1968 at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Twin Falls Idaho.

She was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Community for whom she taught religious education. As part of her background in education she was a member of the NEA, IEA, PEA, and Alpha Kappa Delta. She was a charter member of ID Sigma chapter and served as president from 1996-1998 and again from 2011-2013. She served as Idaho State President from 1998-2000, as Northwest Regional Vice-President from 2003-2005, and as Northwest Regional Altruistic Chairman from 2011-2013. She was a member of the City of Pocatello’s Fort Hall Replica Commission serving as co-secretary. She served on the Animal Shelter Board and as Community Representative to SD25 Head Start Policy Council. She was a member of the Southeastern Idaho Chapter of Project Linus serving as Historian.

She is survived by three sons; Aaron B, and his wife Erika, Grandchildren Dakota R, and Amanda D. of Meridian. Alexander R, and wife Jennifer L, Grandchildren Sarah E, Jenna R, and Rebekah R, of Pocatello. Adrain L, also of Pocatello. Julie Donnelly, her sister-in-law and her five children. Steven Benningfield and his wife, brother and sister-in-law, and their two children.

She is preceded in death by her husband, and love of her life Kelley Ray Benningfield. Her brother Gary Donnelly also preceded her in passing.

Mom was a special person in all the lives that she touched. From my father Kelley, to us three sons, she cared deeply for her family in every way. She gave everything she could to us, to her job, and to her friends. For Aaron’s and Alex’s wives, Erica and Jennifer she loved them dearly also, as though they were her own daughters. Her grandchildren; Dakota, Amanda, Sarah, Jenna, and Bekah, were a special pride and joy. She would spend as much time with them as possible.

From volunteering in cub scouts to help her sons, to helping with education associations, and even the Linus project, she always helped those she could. She had a sense of civic duty that showed with her helping with the animal shelter and the Historical Society.

She left an indelible mark that will last long past her lifetime, with all that she was around, from students, to lifelong friends. Many people remembered her as a kindergarten teacher, and her friends still have tender and joyful memories of spending time with her.

Her greatest love was her family, from tirelessly supporting and helping her husband, and providing all the things that we boys needed in our lives, we were all her pride and joy.

She will be greatly missed.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday June 22, 2021, at Wilks Funeral Home, 211 W. Chubbuck Rd., Chubbuck ID, 83202 at 1:00 p.m., with a Catholic Mass taking place at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to Lewis & Clark Elementary library and literacy programs through the PCSD Education foundation, 3115 Poleline Rd.

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