Paul Richard Benero

Paul Richard Benero – August 21, 1973 – August 30, 2026

Paul Richard Benero 08/21/1973-08/30/2026 Paul Richard Benero, of El Paso, Texas, passed away on August 30, 2026, at the age of 53. Born on August 21, 1973, in El Paso, Texas, Paul lived a life defined by creativity, conviction, and above all, a deep devotion to his family. Paul was born and raised in El Paso, where he graduated from Eastwood High School in 1991. He pursued his love of the arts at the Art Institute of Houston before earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at El Paso. He continued his education at Texas Tech University, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in 3D sculpture and metals. Paul thrived as an artist, earning recognition in juried shows across the country, and his piece Monkey Grinder remains on display in Racine, Wisconsin. After graduating, Paul moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and began a long career in higher education. He served as Professor of Art at Tarrant County College South Campus for 18 years, where he founded and grew the college's first sculpture program. He later held academic and workforce administrative positions at the Art Institute of Dallas, the University of Texas Permian Basin, and Bismarck State College in North Dakota, finishing his career as Dean of Workforce and Career Technical Education at Navarro College in Corsicana. Additionally, he earned is PhD from Liberty College in Higher Education. Paul marched to the beat of his own drum. His humor lived on through his beloved "Paulisms" now part of the vocabulary of everyone who knew him. He had a small obsession with JEEP and anything pure Texas, and he could often be found taking a quintessential Texas afternoon by storm in his cargo shorts and flip-flops. Passionate, charismatic, and brilliant, Paul had a way of seeing people and celebrating the very best in everyone he met. Nothing mattered to him more than his boys and his family. Paul is survived by his wife, Irene; his parents, Thomas and Aida Benero; sister, Michelle Buraczyk; Aunt Raquel Echeverria and Uncle Ricardo Echeverria; Uncle Modesto Padilla; Maria Padilla; his sons, Raphael, Isaac, Adam, Gabriel, Julian, and August; and his grandchildren, Leland, Killian, Olivia, and Luca and many cousins, nieces, and nephews from both sides of the family. A memorial rosary and Mass will be held at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in El Paso, Texas, on October 3, 2026, with the rosary at 11 a.m. and Mass to follow at noon. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital and/or Ascension Seton Hospital - Williamson in Round Rock, Texas. Paul left us too soon, and his absence will forever be felt. He is resting in eternal peace.