Martha Louise Ann (Lucas) Benamati

Martha Louise Ann (Lucas) Benamati, 88, of Red Barn, passed away Saturday, May 25, 2024 with her family by her side.

Martha was born on November 12, 1935 in Graceton, Indiana County, PA, the daughter of Raymond Alexander Lucas and Gertrude Louise (Mesler) Lucas. At an early age her family moved to the Homer City area where she spent most of her life until she married. She graduated from Laura Lamar High School, class of 1954. Shortly after graduation she acquired a job in the filing department for the Syntron Co and later was the owner and operator of Benamati's Trophy Case.

Martha enjoyed her Friday and Saturday nights, Polka and Square dancing.

In 1956 she re-met her first-grade sweetheart, Joseph Frank Benamati, and in 1959 she said her dream came true when they married. She spent the rest of her life as a loving wife, mother and grandmother.

Martha was a member of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Coral, PA. She had served as a Eucharistic Minister for the old St. Louis Parish Lucernemines, PA.

Martha followed her children into scouting and served more than 40 years as an adult volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America (Scouts USA) serving in many positions including Den Mother, Training Chair and Explorer Advisor. She Co-Chaired, with her husband, the Co-Ed Exploring Program for Penn's Woods Council for more than 10 years. She pioneered the starting of Cub Scout Day Camp at Camp Seph Mack. On the religious side of Scouting, she was a member of the Greensburg Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting for Boys, where she served as secretary for many years. She also was a life member of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting for Boys (NCCSB) serving on the emblems committee. She attended Philmont training center and staffed the National Boy Scout Jamboree regularly with the NCCSB. In the Scouting program she was recognized with numerous local, regional and national recognitions.

Martha enjoyed various types of needle work and was a genealogy enthusiast. In her many tours of "Stones and Bones" she visited numerous Court Houses and Cemeteries in Western PA and Central, West Virginia.

She also loved helping her husband with his junior shooting programs. She helped raise funds for the NRA Foundation to further programs to teach children firearm respect and marksmanship.

She was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Homer City for more than 25 years where she held various positions including president. She was also a life member of the Good Sam RV Club.

After her husband retired, they closed the engraving business, bought an RV and in the process of attending NCCS conventions, toured the good old U.S. of A. visiting museums in most of the lower 48.

Martha is survived by 4 of her 5 children Netta Benamati; Joseph Benamati II and his wife Janet; Marcia Amero and her husband James; William Benamati and his wife Melissa; and son-in-law Douglass Fitzsimmons. She was Nanny to Sarah Benamati, James II and Elizabeth Amero, and Josephine Benamati. She is also survived by two siblings, Russell Lucas (Sandy) and Judy Moorhead (Harold) and three sister-n-laws, Patricia Lucas, Judy Kokolis and Peg Benamati.

He was preceeded in death by her loving husband Joe in November of 2023, by her parents, her daughter Victoria Benamati Fitzsimmons, and 2 siblings, Raymond Lucas and William Lucas.

Friends will be received Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Bowser Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc., Homer City where the Rosary will be recited at 7PM. A Blessing Service will be held Friday at 10:30 AM at the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Parish, Lucernemines site. Interment to follow in the St. Louis Cemetery, Lucernemines.

In lieu of flowers, please remember the Boy Scouts (Scouts USA), Girl Scouts USA or the NRA Foundation.

Her family would like to thank the staff at Beacon Ridge Health Care Center for their dedication in making her final days comfortable.