JOHN BENJAMIN

1944 - 2025

BENJAMIN, John Of Boston, Massachusetts, died at home, surrounded by family, on July 9, 2025, from complications of Parkinson's Disease. Born on November 30, 1944 in Wayland, Massachusetts, to B. Allen Benjamin and Eleanore Conant Benjamin, he was raised with an ethos of hard work, self-sufficiency, adventure and creativity. John completed his undergraduate and master's degrees at Cornell University in electrical engineering. After a brief stint at Raytheon, he left to found first a toy company that made delightful balancing clowns, and then a construction company, completing more than 75 major projects in the Boston area over a 50 year career. A craftsman of the highest order and dedicated mentor, John's professional legacy is one of beauty, quality and ingenuity. John was curious, energetic and adventuresome. He loved machinery of all kinds, including his 289 AC Cobra which he raced, and his most beloved 1941 Farmall A tractor, which he used his entire life and taught his kids and grandkids how to drive. He lavished attention on his grandchildren, building a home in S. Dartmouth, Massachusetts, tailor made for their visits, including a treehouse, a zipline and endless projects to delight, entertain and inspire. John's spirit was infectious and his friendships lifelong. John is survived by his wife, Shelley Benjamin; his stepsons, Alex and Christopher Wellins; Alex's wife Andy Greenberg and their sons, Jake and Max Wellins; Chris' wife Scottie Siewers and their children, Zachary (fiancee Lucy Wing) and Emma Wellins; as well as by his siblings, Martin Conant Benjamin and Jane Ashley Benjamin and their families. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either Sudbury Valley Trustees - https://www.svtweb.org/ or Doctors Without Borders - https://give.doctorswithoutborders.org/

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