{"id":7058,"date":"2025-12-29T14:53:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T20:53:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/?p=7058"},"modified":"2025-12-29T16:27:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T22:27:57","slug":"a-tribute-to-benita-honaker-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/a-tribute-to-benita-honaker-2\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tribute to Benita Honaker"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Benita<\/a><\/h2>\n

Benita Honaker<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(1936-2025)<\/h2>\n

Benita Honaker (Brothers), age 89, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, December 20, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.<\/p>\n

Benita was born on December 12, 1936, in West Frankfort, Illinois. She was the daughter of Benjamin \u201cBenny\u201d Brothers and Helen Brothers (Clouser) of Zigler, Illinois, where she grew up and attended First Baptist Church.<\/p>\n

Benita dedicated her life to service, faith, and family. She earned a three-year nursing diploma from Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. After working several years in Illinois, she traveled to Hawaii to pursue public health studies, earning a Master of Public Health degree.<\/p>\n

Upon graduation, Benita commissioned in the United States Air Force, where she served honorably as a nurse for 22 years. She retired in 1992 with the rank of Colonel in the Air Force
\nMedical Corps.<\/p>\n

On July 1, 1989, Benita married Richard Honaker. Together, they built a life rooted in faith and service, later serving as medical missionaries in South Africa with the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. They shared 36 years and six months of marriage. Both Benita and Richard retired from the United States Air Force as Colonels and remained devoted to ministry and service throughout their lives.<\/p>\n

Benita was blessed with six loving children: Richard (Rick) Honaker of Phoenix, Arizona; Marita and Scott Willis of Sedalia, Missouri; Marketa and Tim Southerland of Cura\u00e7ao, Dutch Caribbean; Maria and Jim Allen of Valparaiso, Florida; Monica Dabbs of Niceville, Florida; and John Honaker of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was also blessed with twenty-eight grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren.<\/p>\n

While living in Florida, Benita attended Generations United Church in Niceville, Florida.<\/p>\n

She was preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin (Benny) Brothers and Helen Clouser Brothers.<\/p>\n

Benita will be remembered for her unwavering faith, compassionate heart, distinguished military service, and deep love for her family.<\/p>\n

She will be laid to rest at Red Hill Cemetery in Hammon, Oklahoma, with Full Military Honors rendered by the United States Air Force. Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 27, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 161 Racetrack Road NW, Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32547.<\/p>\n

– Obituary provided by Emerald Coast Funeral Home.<\/em><\/p>\n

Oklahoma services: Bill Merritt Funeral Service in Bethany, Oklahoma, on January 3, 2026, viewing at 9:00 a.m., service at 10:00 a.m. Graveside service with Military honors at Red Hill Cemetery in Hammon, Oklahoma, at 2:00 p.m.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

A Note from World Missions Ministries<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On Behalf of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church World Missions Ministries family, we honor the life and legacy of missionary heroine, Rev. Benita Honaker, and extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Richard Honaker and family as they mourn her earthly departure.<\/p>\n

As an adult, Benita joined the United States Air Force and served in Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, T\u00fcrkiye, and in parts of the United States. She was a flight nurse in Vietnam and Thailand, the chief nurse at a clinic in T\u00fcrkiye, and eventually attained the rank of Colonel.<\/p>\n

At age 52, Benieta married a widower, Dr. Richard Honaker, who had six grown children. Overnight, she became a mother, and later a grandmother and great-grandmother.<\/p>\n

In 1992, Benita and her husband, Dr. Richard Honaker, applied to the IPHC Missions Board to serve as missionaries in Africa. On November 8, 1995, Benita and Richard left the USA as new missionaries bound for South Africa, arriving at Johannesburg\u2019s Jan Smuts Airport on November 10th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Together with her husband, Richard, Benita faithfully served as missionaries for thirty-six and a half years of their marriage.<\/p>\n

\u201cBenita was a remarkable lady. Stephanie and I join with her missionary family in honoring her for her selfless servitude to the Kingdom and her profound devotion to the Lord. Her imprint, alongside that of her husband, Richard, will forever be indelibly etched in the ministry tapestry of the IPHC in South Africa.\u201d\u00a0 WMM Executive Director Bishop J. Talmadge Gardner shared.<\/p>\n

On behalf of IPHC\u2019s World Missions family,<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

World Missions Communications Office<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Benita Honaker (1936-2025) Benita Honaker (Brothers), age 89, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, December 20, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Benita was born on December…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":980,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,4],"tags":[567,608,265,483,154],"class_list":{"0":"post-7058","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"category-world-missions","9":"tag-567","10":"tag-benita-honaker","11":"tag-december","12":"tag-obituary","13":"tag-tribute","14":"entry"},"title_es":"Un tributo a Dora Dane McNeill Sandhu","content_es":"

Dora Dane McNeill Sandhu <\/h1>

12 de agosto de 2020<\/strong> <\/h2>

Dora Dane McNeill Sandhu, 96, de West Columbia, SC, falleci\u00f3 pac\u00edficamente en su casa la noche del 12 de agosto de 2020. Se llevar\u00e1 a cabo un servicio familiar privado en la Iglesia de Santidad Pentecostal Ebenezer, el s\u00e1bado 15 de agosto de 2020, 11:00 A.M. El servicio se puede ver en Facebook y YouTube conect\u00e1ndose a la Iglesia de Santidad Pentecostal Ebenezer a trav\u00e9s de cualquiera de las fuentes. El logo de la iglesia incluye el nombre, con una cruz y puntos rojos alrededor. <\/p>

La Sra. Sandhu naci\u00f3 en McCormick, SC, y era la hija del fallecido Freddie Oscar y Winnie Dane Dew McNeill. Dora muri\u00f3 antes que su hermana, Winifred M. Caines, y sus tres hermanos: el reverendo James R. McNeill (Gerri), O. Ray McNeill (Mildred) y P. Wesley McNeill (Ginger). Le sobreviven su esposo, Jarnail Singh Sandhu, y dos hijos: Bobby Singh (Madhu) y Anand Singh (Holly), su nieto Paul Singh Sandhu, su hermana, Beth Stalbaum, y numerosas sobrinas y sobrinos. <\/p>

Desde muy joven, el deseo del coraz\u00f3n de Dora era ser maestra y misionera. Y su Se\u00f1or y Salvador hizo realidad ambos sue\u00f1os a trav\u00e9s de caminos inusuales. Su educaci\u00f3n comenz\u00f3 en Emmanuel College en Franklin Springs, Georgia, seguida de la escuela de enfermer\u00eda en Washington, DC. Continu\u00f3 su educaci\u00f3n mientras trabajaba como enfermera de salud p\u00fablica, y finalmente recibi\u00f3 su maestr\u00eda en enfermer\u00eda. Unos a\u00f1os m\u00e1s tarde, la Universidad de Lander comenz\u00f3 a buscar a alguien que dirigiera su programa de enfermer\u00eda. Solicit\u00f3 y ayud\u00f3 a comenzar el programa de enfermer\u00eda en Lander, cumpliendo as\u00ed su deseo de ense\u00f1ar. Despu\u00e9s de dejar Lander, se convirti\u00f3 en directora ejecutiva de la Asociaci\u00f3n de Enfermeras de Carolina del Sur, donde ten\u00eda la intenci\u00f3n de permanecer, posiblemente hasta su jubilaci\u00f3n. Sin embargo, todav\u00eda hab\u00eda otro sue\u00f1o en su coraz\u00f3n. <\/p>

En 1971, Dora llev\u00f3 a un grupo de j\u00f3venes de Ebenezer a un viaje misionero a M\u00e9xico. Despu\u00e9s de ese viaje, le escribi\u00f3 al director de la misi\u00f3n denominacional que sent\u00eda que era el momento. Despu\u00e9s de ser aceptada como misionera, pas\u00f3 varios a\u00f1os en Hong Kong sirviendo como enfermera misionera y como directora de la escuela secundaria Wing Kwong College. Este fue el cumplimiento de su sue\u00f1o misionero y tambi\u00e9n ten\u00eda un bono para ella. Conoci\u00f3 a su esposo, Jarnail, en un servicio religioso internacional mientras estaba en Hong Kong. Despu\u00e9s de mudarse a los Estados Unidos, ayud\u00f3 con su negocio de importaci\u00f3n y continu\u00f3 el ministerio en su iglesia local. <\/p>

Se pueden hacer memoriales en el Departamento de Misiones de la Iglesia de Santidad Pentecostal Ebenezer, 501 Church Street, West Columbia, SC 29172. <\/p>

En nombre de la Iglesia Internacional de Santidad Pentecostal y, en particular, de su familia misionera, les extiendo nuestro m\u00e1s sentido p\u00e9same, la familia y los amigos de la Sra. Dora McNeill Sandhu.<\/em><\/span> <\/p>

\u00a0<\/em><\/span> La Sra. Sandhu era miembro del clero "con licencia" de la Conferencia del Atl\u00e1ntico Medio cuando se reuni\u00f3 por primera vez con la Junta de Misiones Mundiales para expresar su deseo de ir a Hong Kong, China, para servir como m\u00e9dica misionera. La Junta de Misiones Mundiales aprob\u00f3 por unanimidad su nombramiento como misionera de carrera y solicit\u00f3 "que se vaya tan pronto como se puedan hacer los arreglos". Siendo una dama excepcionalmente dotada, su mandato incluy\u00f3 su servicio como misionera m\u00e9dica, directora de la escuela secundaria Wing Kwong, miembro auxiliar de mujeres, pastora de una iglesia, pastora asistente, dirigi\u00f3 y sirvi\u00f3 en el ministerio de ni\u00f1os y como administradora. de una cl\u00ednica y una escuela secundaria, todo mientras se desempe\u00f1aba como misionero de carrera en Hong Kong, China, de 1972 a 1979<\/em> . Aunque su ausencia en el cuerpo se siente profundamente, su ejemplo ha dejado un impacto eterno en el reino y en aquellos que encontr\u00f3 aqu\u00ed en esta tierra.<\/em><\/span> <\/p>

'La gracia est\u00e9 con todos ustedes.'"<\/span><\/em> <\/p>

Obispo J. Talmadge Gardner<\/span> <\/p>

Director Ejecutivo, Ministerios de Misiones Mundiales de IPHC<\/span> <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","author_name":"","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/03\/In-Loving-Memory.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Ar-1PQ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7058"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7058\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}