As received from the Memorial Chapel Funeral and Cremation Service. If you have questions about, or potential corrections to the content, please contact the funeral home directly.
Amanda Jean (Dow) Beneteau, 44, passed away peacefully after a short illness on January 31, 2026, surrounded by family and friends. She was born on January 30, 1982, to David and Deborah (Nicholls) Dow.
Amanda was a devoted mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend whose kindness and compassion touched countless lives. She was the loving mother of her son, Caden, and daughter, Avery, who were the greatest joys of her life. Amanda was most proud of her children and delighted in watching them excel in school and sports. She could always be found cheering on Caden from the stands of the baseball diamond and the football field and supporting Avery from the sidelines at Saturday soccer games.
Amanda graduated from Hancock High School in 2000 and went on to earn her nursing degree from Northern Michigan University in 2005. Following graduation, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where she began her nursing career.
Amanda dedicated more than 20 years of her life to caring for patients at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, where she worked on the hematology and stem cell transplant units. An Oncology Certified Nurse and Blood and Marrow Transplant Certified Nurse, Amanda was the epitome of what it means to be a nurse—selfless, compassionate, and deeply devoted to the care of others. She often expressed how humbled she felt to work alongside patients battling cancer, and she carried a heart of gold into every room she entered.
Amanda is survived by her two precious children, Caden and Avery; parents, David and Deborah Dow; her twin sister, Rebecca (John) Ylitalo; her younger sister, Elizabeth (Daniel) Hillgartner; her niece and nephews, Connor, Maya, and Tyler Ylitalo, and Nicholas and Calvin Hillgartner; her aunts and uncles, James and Patricia Destrampe, Emily Walikainen, Michael and Christine Stark; cousins, Laura, John, Erin and Eric; father of her children, Jeff Beneteau; numerous in-laws in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; and her puppy Lola. She is also survived by many extended family members, friends, and colleagues whose lives were forever changed by her presence.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, William and Kathleen Nicholls; Clyde and Barbara Dow; her two special uncles, Dennis Walikainen and Stephen Nicholls; and her puppy Gracie.
The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to the exceptional critical care team at Mayo Clinic for their compassionate care, as well as to Amanda’s dear friends Jaime and Sunny for their unwavering love and support.
Amanda had a spitfire attitude in life. She walked fast, talked fast, and loved to laugh. She loved easily and she was so easy to love. Amanda’s family will miss her beyond measure and her absence leaves a space that can never be filled.
A burial and celebration of life will take place in the summer of 2026 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
In lieu of flowers, the family plans to establish a scholarship in Amanda’s name through the Hancock Public Schools Foundation to support future nurses, honoring her lifelong dedication to the profession.
Hancock Public Schools Foundation
501 Campus Drive
Hancock, MI 49930
www.hancockpublicschools.org
To view Amanda’s obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.memorialchapel.net.
The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Hancock Chapel is assisting the family with the local arrangements.
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