Stephen F. “Lefty” Benda, 63, of Farley, Iowa passed away on May 4, 2023, at Mercy One, in Dubuque, Iowa.

Visitation for Lefty will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, 2023, at Reiff Funeral Home in Farley, Iowa, where a prayer service will be held at 1:30 p.m., and the Farley Fire Department will meet in a body at 5pm.

Mass of Christian Burial for Lefty will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, May 8, 2023, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Farley, Iowa with Rev. Scott Boone presiding. Burial will be held at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Farley, Iowa, where the Fire Department will do the striking of the four fives.

Lefty was born on February 12, 1960, in Dubuque, Iowa, son of Edward and Thelma (Urbain) Benda. He attended St. Joseph’s School and Western Dubuque High School in Epworth, Iowa.   He was united in marriage to Darla Link on June 21, 1980, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Farley, Iowa.   Lefty was employed for Nickol Boring and later for the Iowa Department of Transportation, where he worked for 30 years, retiring in 2017.

Lefty was a member of the St. Joseph’s Parish in Farley, Iowa. He was also a retired member of the Farley Volunteer Fire Department for which he volunteered for 25 years.   In May of 2017 he was inducted into the Dubuque County Hall of Flame.  He was on the Farley Park Board, the City Council and later served as Mayor of Farley.

Lefty was a loving and devoted husband, father and papa to Olivia.  He enjoyed putting puzzles together, he religiously watched the weather during the winter months, camping and cracking one of his great jokes.  He never met a stranger.  He passed on his quick wit to his daughter Tammy and to Marty he passed on his love of sirens and devotion to fire fighting.  He was honored to be Camp Host at the Stelken Resort.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Darla Benda of Farley; his two children, Tammy (Timothy) Klingman of  Strawberry Point, IA, and Martin E. Benda of Farley, one grandchild, Olivia; his mother, Thelma Loes of Farley; three siblings, Dan (Michelle) Benda of Kingwood, TX, Jeanne (Ray) Manternach of Cascade, and Chad Loes of Hiawatha; brothers and sisters-in-law, Andrea Loes of Manchester, MD, Debra Snedden of Maple Grove, MN, Diane (Mark) Schmitt and Donna (Ron) Ament of Farley, Denise (Steve) Kuenster of Farmersburg, Danette (Joe) McElmeel of Cascade, Randy (Cris) Link, Ron Link ( and Jolene Decker), and Rod (Tammy) Link all of Dubuque.

He is preceded in death by his father, Edward Benda in 1961; stepfather, Gene Loes in 2010; two brothers, Kevin Benda in 1979, and Bret Loes in 2014; and his father and mother-in-law, Robert and Delores Link.

An online video may be viewed and online condolences left for the family at www.reifffuneralhomeinc.com

The family of Lefty would like to thank the University of Iowa, Dr. Engelman and staff and the ICU department at Mercy One in Dubuque and the Farley Fire and EMS.