Dean A. Benjamin

Dean was born in Cedar County Nebraska on August 22nd of 1930. He attended school in Coleridge, Nebraska where he played on the high school football team and graduated in 1948. Dean joined the Army in 1951 and received his honorable discharge in 1954 with the rank of Sergeant.

After the Army, Dean moved to Golden, Colorado where he earned his pilot license and started his career with Shell Chemical Company. During this time, Dean met, fell in love, and married Margaret Gatti, on July 6, 1957.

Dean and Margaret raised their family of four children in the Denver area and retired in Westminster, Colorado. Dean enjoyed helping the church with construction and other facility issues. Most of his life he enjoyed growing plants in the yard, vegetables, and roses. In retirement, he developed a fascination with trains (big and small). He also loved the mountains and outdoors and instilled this same love in each of his children by taking drives in the country, being a Boy Scout leader, fishing, camping, and hunting whenever he could.

Dean is survived by his wife of 66 years, Margaret, their four children, Mike Benjamin and his wife Lori, Janice Paquette and her husband Don, Patricia Wood, and John Benjamin and his wife Cindy. They have eight grandchildren, Tony and his wife Casey Paquette, Stephen Paquette, and Mark and his wife Jaime Paquette, Craig and Jamie Benjamin, Nathan, Erin, and Ty Benjamin. They also have six great-grandchildren, Lilly and James Paquette, Dominic and Marco Paquette, and Henry and Norah Paquette.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents, sister Edythe, brother-in-law Alverne Jones, brother Merlin Benjamin, son-in-law Jeff Wood, and great-grandchild Arlo Paquette.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Disabled American Veterans at www.help.dav.org.