Joseph Edward Scarry

JOSEPH EDWARD SCARRY was born to Mary (Cook) and Fred Scarry, Jan. 29, 1944, in Dunbar, PA. In the 1950’s Howard, Julia Whipkey, and their children became Joseph’s family after his mother died.

Joseph entered Franciscan formation in 1965 from Immaculate Conception Church in Connellsville, PA, and became Br. Benignus making his final profession August 23, 1970, as a Capuchin Franciscan friar. In 1972 Benignus earned his AA in accounting at Strayer College, Washington, D.C.

Benignus’ vocation led him west from Washington, D.C. to Hays, KS in 1977 where he served in numerous roles at St. Joseph Church and TMP-Marian High School. Onto St. Louis, MO in 1988, and back to Kansas in 1990 to renovate an Old West Lawrence house to become a new friary. Benignus lived and worked in Lawrence until 1999 doing maintenance for the friars, many friends, neighbors, as well as building homes as a general contractor and executive board member for Habitat for Humanity. In 1999, Benignus went on to more building projects in East St. Louis and The Family Center, to Denver and Colorado Springs, ever ministering to the poor, cooking for his fellow friars, and doing maintenance wherever he went.

Settling in Topeka, KS, in 2016, Joseph enjoyed good friends working at Menard’s and (along with his beloved dachshund, Charlie) frequenting Topeka’s dog parks.

Surviving Joseph are his sister, Carol Parise, and his Whipkey family members, Mark, Patty, Sherm, Patty, Joel, Marilyn, Paul, Jean, Anne, and Mary, as well as too many friends and friars to name. May Joseph continue to build the Kingdom!

Graveside services and inurnment will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday, March 13, 2023. At the St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria. Kansas with Father Curtis Carlson O.F.M. Cap. officiating.

Services are entrusted to Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601

Condolences may be left on his tribute page at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com