Brunetta ‘Becky’ A. (Benike) Cyr

Brunetta “Becky” A. (Benike) Cyr of Plainview, MN passed away Thursday, October 13, 2022 at Mayo Clinic Health System – Care Center, Lake City, MN.
Becky was born January 29, 1927, near Elgin, MN. Daughter of Alfred E. and Lillian (Parker) Benike. She married David J. Richardson, August 10, 1945, David passed away May 7, 1999.
Becky graduated from Mayo Senior High School in Rochester, MN. She continued her art education through Art Instruction School of Minneapolis, MN, doing art workshops off campus from Winona, MN, Pastel Society of Minnesota, Dillman's Workshops, Fond Du Lac, WI, and Robert Hoffman's pastel workshop at Merrillville, IN. Becky's career was in fine arts, working in all mediums with dry pastel being her preferred choice. Awards and invitations come from outdoor and indoor fine art shows: One Woman Exhibits at New Vision gallery Marshfield, WI, Woman in Wildlife Art Collectors Show, Kansas, MO, Landmark’s Gallery, Milwaukee, WI, and Octagon Gallery, Des Moines, IA. She was a member of the Raptor Center, St. Paul, MN, where trips included Mexico, Newfoundland, Alaska, and several USA states. She was a member of the Baraboo Crane Foundation and did their annual sandhill crane count for 14 years. She established Minnesota's first crane nesting area, near Kellogg, Minnesota's bottom wetlands. She was a member of the Hiawatha Bird Club, Winona, MN, the Raptor Research and Rehabilitation Center, St. Cloud, MN, and the Audubon Society.
Her favorite pastimes were belonging to the Plainview, Elgin, and Millville Garden Club and her own flower gardens. She enjoyed hunting, canoeing, snowmobiling, and feeding the songbirds in her yard.
On June 5th, 1982, she married Roger A. Cyr of Van Buren, Maine. Roger passed away October 13th, 2008.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Alfred E. Benike Jr. of Chatfield, MN.
She is survived by two daughters, Carol Lee (Mikael) Neuman, Rochester, MN; Mary Jane Richardson, Red Wing, MN; and son Mark (Peggy) Richardson of Kellogg, MN. Four step children: Roger “Jim” (Cathy) Cyr of Biddeford, ME; Mike Cyr of Portland, ME; John (Sue Ellen) Cyr of Santa Clara, CA; and Betty Anny Cyr of Livermore, CA; six grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, October 21, 2022, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Plainview, with Pastor Phil Augustine officiating. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Plainview, MN. Visitation is one hour prior to the service at the church.
Services entrusted to Abbott Funeral Home & Crematory, Wabasha, MN. Words of sympathy or remembrance may be left at www.abbottfh.com