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In Loving Memory of ROBERT D. BENJAMIN SR (November 19, 1942 - September 23, 2008) Bob Benjamin suffered a massive aneurysm and passed with his family by his side. He leaves his children, Rob and Monique, and former wife Donna Morris Benjamin (SPHS '67), of South Pasadena, and Nicole (Ron) Nydam of Oakdale, California, also his grandchildren Landon, Laci and Kaylin Nydam, and many friends.
Bob was active in SPHS Class of 1960 Alumni Association. He was a graduate of Cal State LA, with BA in accounting and a JD from Loyola Law School. He had many hobbies and was passionate about education, round dancing, photography, gardening and numerous and varied subjects and loved to discuss them all. He will be missed by family, friends from school, work and his round dancing classes and those that knew him from his web sites also. Bob was such an advocate of education, we ask that in lieu of flowers donations be made to: South Pasadena High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1219, South Pasadena, CA 91031
Pasadena Star-News, October 9, 2008
It is with deep regret and sorrow that I write to inform everyone who knew and loved Bob Benjamin, my dad, of his passing. He was a great father, teacher, and friend.
On Sunday Sep. 14th dad drove himself to urgent care, and was told he needed to get to a hospital for a MRI. Dad called a very good friend, Bob Silvia, who drove him to the hospital. The MRI showed he was suffering, an aneurism, bleeding in his brain. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby trauma hospital. I met with the neurosurgeon who wasn’t sure if dad would make it through the surgery. After about two hours of surgery we were informed it had gone ok and he was in the ICU. The surgeon said based on the earlier MRI there was damage to his brain, but didn’t know how much. He had suffered a massive aneurism.
Family and friends continued to pray and hope for the best. I got daily updates from the doctors and nurses. We stayed very positive and hopeful, praying for a miracle. It was very hard on everyone. We were fortunate to have a few more days with him to let him know how much we loved him and how much he will be missed.
“Think of this as a learning experience.” was one of dad’s sayings he would tell me when I was going through a difficult time or had to make a tough decision. Well dad this has been the toughest learning experience yet. Love your neighbor, for we are only here for a very short time. You have the power, is the glass half-empty or half-full. I choose the positive.
At 3:50pm September 23, 2008 Robert D Benjamin passed peacefully and without pain. With him were Cris West (loving girlfriend), Monique Benjamin (daughter) , Nicole Nydam (daughter), Rob Benjamin (son), Donna Benjamin (loving former wife).
A passage that has taken on special meaning is Luke 6:27-37
Love for Enemies
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
My sincere thanks for everyone’s thoughts and prayers.
Robert D. Benjamin Jr. (Rob)
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Barbara Jean Hosinski (Cser) (1960)
I gave Bob a photo I had of him reading a book in Kindergarten at Holy Family. He had never seen it. I also showed him the home movies my father had taken of my school highlights in which he was also pictured. He was amazed. I miss Bob very much....William Craig Bullock III (1960)
William Craig Bullock '60In the last eleven years, I was fortunate to get reaquainted with Bob and we became very close good friends. We had dinner about once a week to solve the problems of the world and tohse of his world and those of mine.
Here was a man with a unique sense of humor which a laughed about and with him a lot.
Here is one about two weeks before we lost him to the next life.
I was driving down Mission street from the cleaners when he called me on my cell. I told him i was running errands and driving into the sun and I could not see where I was going as my windshield was very dirty.
He asked me where I was going next and I said over to Peg's to watch her kids. he insistantly asked me to stop by on the way and pull up in front of his kitchen window on Rowena facing north. I finally said ok???
As I drove down Rowena and made a u-turn in order to pull up on the east side of the street, He walked out to my car as I rolled down the window and handed me a roll of paper towels and a spray bottle of Windex and said nothing other than "drop them off on your way back" and walked back inside.
I miss him terribly as he was a great companion and a great person and great company. Rest in Peace, my Friend.