Ed Benz

June 1942 - October 29, 2023

Ed was raised in South Pasadena but a passion for the ocean drove him to make a beeline for the Beach Cities as soon as he graduated in 1960. From there, the adventures began. He was a long-time San Surf Club member and drove down to surf in his 1949 'Helms Bakery' panel truck, or his 1948 Ford Woody with friends and boards, all the while trying to dodge the Camp Pendleton Marine MPs to catch a wave at Church or Trestles.

He managed a bar in Honolulu at the age of 20, sailed to Central America with friends in 1963, and drove a panel van down the Transpacific Highway from California to Panama. He also built a VW powered burro off-road race car equipped with offroad tires and Army tank driving lights, courtesy of Gordon Clark (Clark Foam), his 'sponsor' and raced that car in the first Baja 1000 in 1967. Ed was also a proud Navy Seabee. While stationed in Port Hueneme, he honed his skills in building that would eventually be the foundation of his life's work. From there, he became a draftsman and started his own construction company. Years later, and in partnership with his wife, Eva, Ed founded a telecommunications construction company in the early stages of the cell phone era and was responsible for designing and building cell tower infrastructures throughout Southern California.  After retirement, he joined the crew of the schooner Curlew in Dana Point Harbor and had many years of sailing and sharing his love of the ocean and all things nautical.

He met his wife, Eva, on a blind date and married her after a whirlwind romance of two months. They married in 1973 at the Dana Point Yacht Club and raised their family in Capo Beach. To those in the community that knew him, he was a fixture. Always excited to 'talk story' with a joke or lend a hand to a neighbor. Whether it was helping take out trash bins, supporting their business ventures, or employing many of the Palisades locals, he was always ready to help. Family and community were his priority, and he poured his heart into both. Above all, Ed was a man of integrity. If you knew Ed, you knew he was on your side and could be trusted with anything. You had his unwavering support and encouragement. He left an indelible mark, and to say he will be missed by many is an understatement.

Ed passed away on October 29, 2023 surrounded by family and holding his wife's hand in the house that he built after a short but hard-fought battle with cancer. He is survived by Eva, his wife of 50 years; three daughters, Michel, Monika, and Helga; three sons-in-law; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

The Orange County Register, November 24, 2023