Benedict Gorecki

A longtime benefactor who donated millions of dollars to help build Central Minnesota gathering spaces has died. Benedict "Ben" Gorecki, founder of Gorecki Manufacturing, died in July 2016 at his Milaca home at age 87. His name graces a dining center and theater at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, a guest house at St. Cloud Hospital and other St. Cloud-area institutions. Gorecki graduated from Foley High School in 1945, according to an obituary in the St. Cloud Times. He graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1963 with degrees in electrical engineering and business administration. Gorecki and his wife, Dorothy, married in 1952. They started Gorecki Manufacturing in Milaca in 1967, according to the company's website. The business later expanded to Foley and Pierz. In 2004, the Goreckis gave $2.2 million to the College of St. Benedict to expand the Benedicta Arts Center. The theater and west lobby were named for them. In 2006, the couple donated $3.5 million to build a 40-room wing at St. Benedict's Senior Community. It was the largest gift in CentraCare Health's history. The Goreckis donated $3.5 million in 2006 for the new Gorecki Dining and Conference Center at St. Ben's. They also gave $1 million to help build St. Cloud Hospital's Gorecki Guest House, which opened in 2009 for family members of patients who receiving medical care. They later donated for the guest house's expansion.