Queenta Benoit

Queenta (Ragaini) Benoit, 95, of Upton, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at the Lutheran Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center in Worcester.  She was the beloved wife of the late Edmund “Leo” P. Benoit, who passed away in 1989.

Born in West Boylston, she was a daughter of the late John and Santa (Buzzetti) Ragaini and was raised and educated in Grafton.

Prior to retirement from Fenwal Corporation as an assembly worker, Mrs. Benoit was employed at General Electric for several years.

Queenta was an active parishioner at St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish and the former Holy Angels Parish, both of Upton.

She enjoyed going on the Upton and Grafton Senior Bus Trips around New England; and also traveled to other states to visit family, and she often accompanied her family on vacations to Maine, New Hampshire and Cape Cod.  In addition, she enjoyed playing bingo and watching her beloved Boston Red Sox.  She cherished the time she spent with her family and adored her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who meant the world to her.

In her earlier years, she and her husband Leo often enjoyed dancing together at the Upton VFW and at many family functions.  Wherever there was music playing, they were dancing.

She is survived by her children, John Benoit and his wife Ellen, of Bellingham; William Benoit and his wife Virginia, of Crimora, VA; Patricia Charbonneau and her husband Paul, of Cape Coral, FL; Ronald Benoit and his wife Monique, of Woonsocket, RI; and Catherine Hagan and her husband James, of Cape Coral, FL.  She is also survived by siblings, Victor Ragaini and his wife Mildred of Fort Myers, FL; and Josephine Parsons and her husband, Frank of Grafton, WV.  Finally, she leaves her beloved 13 Grandchildren, 28 Great-Grandchildren, and 6 Great-Great-Grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.

She is predeceased by her siblings, Mary Keith, Frank Ragaini, Sylvia Bouthiette, Mafilda “Tillie” Groomes, and Bruno Ragaini.

Her funeral Mass will be held at 10 A.M. on Friday, October 23, in St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, 151 Mendon St., Upton.  Burial will follow in Lakeview Cemetery in Upton.

Calling hours are from 4 to 6 P.M. on Thursday, October 22, in the Pickering & Son Upton Funeral Home, Inc., 45 Main St., Upton.

Standard COVID-19 guidelines with facial coverings and social distancing will be followed at the funeral home and church.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to The Lutheran Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center, Attention Toni Mitchell, Activities Director, 26 Harvard St., Worcester, MA  01609 or to the St. Gabriel Building Fund, 151 Mendon St., Upton, MA  01568.