Jean (Starpoli) Benkert

A memorial visitation will be held at the funeral home Saturday, March 21 from 1pm to 3pm.

Service at 3pm.

Jean (Starpoli) Benkert

Jean (Starpoli) Benkert of Kingston, NY passed away peacefully on March 12, 2026 at the age of 81.

Born on February 25, 1945 in Central Islip, NY, Jean was the daughter of the late Ethel Lamb and Peter Garamone. Jean graduated from Dover Plains High School in 1963, and received degrees from SUNY Plattsburgh and Western Connecticut University.

Jean - known to students as Mrs. Starpoli - taught at Alden Place Elementary School in Millbrook from 1970 - 2000. A beloved and formidable presence in the classroom, she cherished her teaching career and the many lifelong friendships it nurtured along the way.

She married Joseph Benkert of Kingston in 2001. Together, they enjoyed a joyful life of travel and adventures until his death in 2020. Jean was particularly proud of her dedication to exploring the world, visiting all seven continents - and always spoke of where her next big trips would be, right until the end.

In addition to travel, so many things made Jean happy in this lifetime: adding to her shoe collection, dancing the evening away, humming a tune to accompany any action, her annual family trips to Maine. She delighted in wearing loud jewelry, surprised everyone with her skill at playing bocce when snowbirding in Florida, and took pride at being a member of the Dutchess County Scottish Society. Jean had a devotion to Snickers bars, she made a legendary lemon meringue pie, and she proudly raised her daughter to be fiercely independent and creative. She will be particularly missed at morning coffee gossip sessions and dinners with "the girls", and at lobster roll dates and Broadway show trips with her sister. Jean found a way to bring laughter and brightness into every interaction. In her memory, please go ahead and find a way to not take yourself too seriously today!

Jean is predeceased by her husband Joseph Benkert and brother Paul Garamone. She is survived by her daughter, Sarah Starpoli of Brooklyn, NY, her sister Donna Law of Poughkeepsie, NY, her brother, Jim Garamone of Havre de Grace, MD, many nieces, nephews, and cousins, and so many wonderful friends who she truly treasured.

Donations can be made in Jean's honor to the Dementia Society of America https://www.dementiasociety.org/