Frances Madden Weyer Benzaia, 90, passed from this life on Sunday, May 19, 2024 after lengthy lung issues. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 22 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Crowder Funeral Home in Dickinson. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 23 at 2:00 p.m. at Crowder Funeral Home in Dickinson with Pastor David Buco officiating. Interment will follow at Hayes Grace Memorial Park in Santa Fe.
Frances was born in Arcadia, TX, on March 16, 1934 to dairy farmers Elmer Madden and Daphine Powers Madden. The second of seven children, Frances graduated from Santa Fe High School in 1952 and Metropolitan Business College in Galveston in 1965. She was a faithful member of Faith Lutheran Church and the Women of Faith Craft Group in Dickinson until her health prevented her from attending services and craft group. She worked for many years in the accounting field. She served Santa Fe ISD as a member of the Board of Trustees and tax assessor/collector. She also worked for the Galveston County CAD. She was an accomplished seamstress and sewed wedding dresses, many bridesmaid dresses and even vests and cumber bunds for grooms and groomsmen, and endless alterations. She made her children’s clothing when they were growing up. She also made more western shirts with fancy yokes than you can count. As part of the Women of Faith Craft Group, she made many quilts that were donated for their annual raffle as well as table runners, place mats and anything else that she had a pattern for. She loved to make pies and one year made 130 cream pies for the Women’s Annual Craft Festival.
In 1953, Frances married Robert Weyer, Jr. (Bobby) of League City and to that marriage, three children were born. After 29 years of marriage, she and Bobby divorced. She later married Andrew Benzaia, Sr. and shared 22 years of marriage until his passing in 2004.
Frances is preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, her sister Florence Raitano and older brother Donald Madden. She is survived by two sisters Mary Byrd and Judy Tilitzki, two brothers Mickey Madden and Melvin Madden & wife Sarah. She is also survived by daughters Janell Grassmuck & husband Michael, Vickie Brown & husband Larry, Susan Ratton, and sons Dale Weyer & wife Jara, Andrew Benzaia, Jr., Jim Benzaia, Tom Benzaia & wife Barbara. Surviving grandchildren are James Grassmuck & wife Melissa, Richard Grassmuck & wife Michelle, Justin Weyer & Caitlin Akan, Beth Hickman & husband Paul, Benny Brown & wife Katie, Lauren Brown & Rob Apap, Damon Benzaia & wife Melissa, Brittany Shita & husband Ari, Anthony Benzaia & wife Paige, Bailey Buchanan & husband Clint, Christopher Ratton, and Megan Ratton. Great grandchildren Kyle Grassmuck, Shelby Grassmuck, Teagan Taylor, AnneMarie Hickman, Noah Hickman, Alice Buchanan, Miller Buchanan, Claire Benzaia and Max Benzaia.
She was greatly loved and will be deeply missed.