Clarence William "Wild Bill" Benoit

Clarence William "Wild Bill" Benoit, 56, of Lake Charles passed away at 8:54 AM on Saturday, September 19, 2026 in his residence.

Bill was born on February 17, 1970, in Fort Riley, Kansas, and was raised in Baytown, Texas, where he attended Lee High School.

In 1988, Bill joined the United States Navy, serving as an SKSA until 1991. After receiving an honorable discharge, he moved to Virginia, where he earned his degree in IT Systems Administration. During his time in Virginia, Bill worked for Texas Compaq Computer from 1993 to 1997 and had the opportunity to study abroad in Singapore.

Bill eventually made his way to Vinton, Louisiana, where he worked at Delta Downs before moving to Lake Charles in 2005. He spent more than 20 years working at L'Auberge, a place that became an important part of his life. It was there that he met his wife. The two were married in Las Vegas in 2010.

Bill had many interests and talents. He loved attending rock concerts, was very artistic, and enjoyed drawing and working with clay. But perhaps what he enjoyed most was cooking and spending time with his family. Those moments with the people he loved were especially meaningful to him.

Bill had a big heart and loved everyone he met. He had a way of making people feel cared for and, most importantly, he made sure they knew they were loved.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Jessica Leigh Willis Benoit; his beloved daughters, Avery Ruth and Lily Kate Benoit; his mother and step father, Clara and Anthony Kilgore; siblings, Dusty Benoit (Lindsey) and Elizabeth King (Jessica); and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, James Benoit and a niece, Abby Garcia.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 in the chapel of Johnson Funeral Home in Lake Charles. The Rev. Rob Tibbetts will officiate. Visitation will begin on Monday from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM and will continue on Tuesday from 8:00 AM until the start of the service.