Funeral date set for Supervisor Benoit
A date and location has been set for the funeral of Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit.
A funeral Mass for Supervisor John J. Benoit will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in La Quinta. A reception at St. Francis will immediately follow the funeral.
A rosary will be said at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 47-225 Washington St., La Quinta. Public viewing will be available from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday.
Benoit, whose public service spanned a lifetime and helped shape issues statewide, passed away Monday evening at his Bermuda Dunes home. He had been battling pancreatic cancer.
Benoit, 64, spent decades serving as a member of the California Highway Patrol, a school board member, state lawmaker and county supervisor.
Benoit’s fellow supervisor, Vice Chairman John Tavaglione, has canceled the Riverside County Board of Supervisors’ Jan. 10 meeting to accommodate the funeral.
“We are devastated by this loss,” Tavaglione said. “John was dedicated to the Coachella Valley and to the residents he served. For him, problems and challenges were simply opportunities to work with people on all sides and develop real solutions. I will miss him terribly as a friend and colleague, but his loss to the community is incalculable.”
“We are all saddened by the passing of our brother, Chairman John Benoit,” said Supervisor Marion Ashley. “His legacy of achievement and care for the County of Riverside and the Fourth District are well-known, and his many accomplishments are lasting. Our hearts go out to his family, staff and friends.”
Benoit represented the Inland Empire and the Coachella and Palo Verde valleys during a period of tremendous growth. His legacy is visible throughout the community, from establishing the CHP’s permanent air operations unit in the Coachella Valley, to his role in developing the University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine and Eagle Canyon Dam.
In honor of Supervisor Benoit, the American flag, the state flag and the POW/MIA flag will be flown at half-staff at all county-owned and leased facilities until January 3.
In lieu of flowers, the Benoit family is requesting that donations be made to the United Way of the Desert, P.O. Box 13210, Palm Desert, CA 92255.
