Carmelo "Carl" Benigno, age 88, passed away on Friday, September 30, 2022.  He was born November 28, 1933 in Palermo Sicily to Paolino & Santina Benigno.

As a child he worked in his father's store selling olive oil. His family lived through bombings and invasions during WW2 and would witness some of the resulting horrors as a small boy.  It was during the occupation of his home town that he would meet an American soldier who offered him some gum, a gesture that opened him up to American culture. After grade school he would go on to apprentice for a woodworker, and attended art school where he painted and learned sculpture. He would join the army becoming a sergeant. He lost his father at the age of 22 and would come to fill in and help guide his younger sister, only 11 at the time. After the army he discovered his mechanical inclination studying in Ivrea Italy for Olivetti and began his career of working on typewriters and adding machines. He would immigrate to America just days after JFK's assassination and 2 days shy of his 30th birthday.  Working for Olivetti in Chicago the secretary went on to set him up with her sister Alba at the office Christmas party. He would go on to marry her and have his 2 children Lisa and Paul.  They would divorce after 13 years together.  A long time smoker, he was proud of quitting cold turkey, displaying the smoldering butt of his last cigarette to a friend as he flicked it into the foundations of the just started Sears Tower claiming it was his last, and indeed it was. As typewriters phased out he shifted his focus to handyman services, and ultimately invested in rental properties.  He loved fishing, boating, and hunting and his beloved shorthair pointer dogs whose intelligence he would often marvel at. He was a huge opera fan and would not only go see it at the Lyric, he would also take singing lessons and soon fill the house with booming renditions of La Boehme and Turandot. His love of animals was on full display in his backyard. Depending on the year, pet raccoons, rabbits, pheasant, and geese could be seen roaming, and sometimes flying away, except for one goose who he would have "mowing" his lawn for nearly a decade.  Most recently a family of feral cats would come to know his care and generosity. He would go on to domesticate several of the clan, including his current cat Molly.  Family and mealtime were paramount and his cooking skills would continue to flourish with many delicious meals including his world famous "deboned" turkey at Thanksgiving, tortellini soup, and his amazing bread. His wonderful cooking and his ability to fix just about anything were just some of the ways he showed up to help in the lives of his family, friends, and neighbors.

He is survived by his children Lisa & Paul; his grandchildren Michael & Matthew Praznowski; his long-time companion Marie Pekala; and his sister Pietra (the late Erasmo Cataldo) Benigno. Also survived by seven nieces & nephews who live in Italy.

He was preceded in death by his sister Maria (the late Salvatore) Alimena & his brother Antonino Benigno.

A visitation will be held at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187, on Thursday, October 6, 2022, from 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. with a service of remembrance to share stories at 7:00 p.m. The service of remembrance will be livestreamed through this link: https://youtu.be/qaYedIwmzD8 A funeral service will be held Friday, October 7, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Relatives & friends are invited to meet at Maryhill Cemetery in Niles, IL for a graveside service at 12:00 Noon.  (Please meet at the cemetery office.)

Memorial gifts may be directed to The Anti-Cruelty Society, 510 N. La Salle St., Chicago, IL 60654.