John Louis Benjamin

John Benjamin passed away peacefully on the morning of Tuesday, December 27th, 2022, at the age of 75, after battling Alzheimer’s for a decade.

He was a gentle soul who loved gardening, hiking, taking photos of nature, and his family above all else. His love of music carried with him all his life and he was known to jam out with his air guitar for any occasion.

John was born in Frankfurt, Germany. When he was nine months old after being placed in an orphanage, John “smiled at the right people at the right time” and was adopted by John P. Benjamin and Pearl Benjamin who were visiting Germany from America at the time. Together, the family of three took a freighter across the Atlantic Ocean and by way of New York and Chicago settled down in Sunland-Tujunga, California, when John was around seven years old. It was then he was officially naturalized at the Hollywood Bowl.

When he was twenty years old, John joined the Army. He served for two years and was stationed in Germany and Vietnam.

John lived in Petaluma with his wife, Diane, for nearly forty years. He was one of the kindest people and he always greeted others with a smile. Over the years, he volunteered with Hospice, Meals on Wheels, and Sacks Hospice Thrift Shoppe. He owned the Ivory Rose Rug Company located downtown for a few years, and eventually made his way to World of Carpets in Santa Rosa.

He was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2012, and quickly became involved with the Alzheimer’s Association. As an advocate for the organization, John spoke at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in 2013, joined panel discussions, and met with politicians in Sacramento. Always a pacifist and armed with a good sense of humor, John continued to fight with love, grace, and laughter up until the end of his life.

John is survived by his wife, Diane Benjamin and their daughter, Christine Benjamin.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Association.

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