JB Benoit, 87

JB Benoit was born Dec. 14, 1938, in Greeley, Colo., to Joseph H. and Pauline M. (Brug) Benoit and died Aug. 20, 2026, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. 

They moved to Los Angeles, Calif., in December of 1941, so his father could join the war effort.

JB had a wonderful childhood growing up in Southern California. He sang in a boys choir, played the clarinet, marched in the Rose Parade and even became a member of the Screen Actors Guild at a young age, while trying out for parts in movies. He remained close throughout his life with a friend from his school days, speaking with him every month.

JB married Diane Hansen in 1960 and together they had two children, a daughter and a son. The marriage ended in divorce in the mid '70s. 

In January 1962, JB began what would become a lifelong source of pride by joining the Los Angeles City Fire Department. He retired in 1990 with the rank of Captain II. JB loved being a fireman and often told people that, during all those years, it never felt like “work.”

In 1988, JB married Dorothy and shortly thereafter they moved to Idaho. Retirement gave JB more time for another of his great loves, travel. On one memorable adventure, he and a fellow fireman spent 55 days driving around New Zealand.

He loved fishing, especially in Loreto, Mexico, and Alaska, and he and his buddies once traveled by boat through the locks of the Snake and Columbia rivers. JB also had a lifelong love of classic cars. In retirement, his favorites included a 1937 and a 1946 Ford Coupe.

Never one to sit still for long, JB spent his first five years in Idaho remodeling homes. Once the projects were finished, he and Dorothy traveled throughout the United States, visiting their children and discovering new places along the way.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; his daughter, Renee Benoit-Shandley, her husband, Jack and their family; his son, Joseph L. Benoit and his wife, Lisbeth, and their family; his stepchildren: Bryan Vandergriff and his wife, Kari, and their son; Natalie Patel and her husband, Amit, and their son. He is preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Los Angeles Fireman’s Relief Association for Widows, Orphans and Disabled Firefighters Fund, 7470 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90041, (www.wodff.org).

A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at Yates Funeral Home — Coeur d’Alene Chapel, 744 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. A graveside service will follow at St. Thomas Cemetery.

Please visit JB’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.