On Jan. 26, 1996, Mike and Ann Bening were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Alexis Jordan Bening or “Lexi” as she preferred to be called. She brought joy to those around her, especially her family. She loved her younger sisters, Raime and Chloe. Lexi was enough older that she used to call them her babies. She felt great responsibility toward them, making sure they were safe and doing what they should do. She also liked to boss the girls and later their younger brother, Brandon.
Lexi loved music and in elementary school started playing the baritone horn, but switched to the flute because the baritone was too heavy and she had to sit with the boys when she played it. She continued to play the flute in band through high school and into adult life.
Animals were also an important part of her life — from hamsters and lizards to cats and large dogs. When she was old enough, she volunteered as a dog walker at the humane society.
Lexi also liked sports — she played soccer and basketball and tried out for football. She became the only girl on the boy’s football team.
Lexi was always her dad’s buddy. She helped her dad and grandpa put her first swing set together when she was 3 years old. After that, she could often be found at the shop helping her dad work on cars.
Lexi was an outdoorsy girl. Going to the beach or going camping with her mom and siblings was top of the list of fun things to do. On the family trip to Hawaii in 2019, she went zip lining, horseback riding, snorkeling and car hood riding. She was really in her element.
After high school graduation, she attended Lewis-Clark State College, delivered pizza for Dominos and worked for Opportunities Unlimited Inc., caring for a disabled little girl whom she dearly loved. She decided to change course and enrolled in Mr. Leon’s School of Hair Design. In October of 2020, she graduated with a diploma in cosmetology. Unfortunately, she was unable to use her cosmetology skills as she had started having seizures that stemmed from a serious car accident in 2016. She could not trust herself with scissors or other sharp objects while working on clients. Consequently, Lexi became a stay-at-home mom to Urijah Michael-Ray and Harper Anne-Marie, who are 5 and 2 respectively. She loved her children, as she would say, ”with all my heart,” and she would never have chosen to leave them.
Lexi passed away at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, where she had been transported after a seizure at home in Lewiston. She is now in the loving arms of family and friends, including furry friends who have gone on before her.
Lexi leaves her two children, Urijah and Harper; two sisters, Raime and partner Summer Johnson, Chloe and Joey Kramer, and son Fischer; and her brother, Brandon. She also leaves her parents, Mike and Ann Bening; grandparents Cheryl and Dale Bening; grandmother Dillese Hughey; aunt and uncle Erica and Gen Quale; cousins Kyla Quale and partner Bishop Mulalley, and Nathan Quale; and uncle and aunt Gary and Maria Glassburn.
Lexi, you will be forever in our hearts.
