Barry Benn

Barry Benn passed away peacefully October 21, 2024.
Barry was born November 8, 1935 in Lancaster, PA to Harry Benn and Hilda Tort Benn.
He graduated from McCaskey High School in 1953 and Franklin and Marshall College
in 1956. He then graduated from The University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry in
1960.
After graduation, Dr. Benn entered the Navy and served with the Third Marine Division
on Okinawa. He served for two years active duty and then returned to Pennsylvania
where he went into private practice, married his beautiful wife Gayle and started a
family.
In 1967 he returned to active duty in the Navy Dental Corps and served for 27 years.
He served aboard USS Bennington, CVS-20 and USS Okinawa, LPH3. He also served
in Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. His many duty stations included Naval
Stations in Pensacola, FL, Alameda, CA, Bainbridge, MD, Pearl Harbor, HI and 2 tours
in San Diego. He served as the Force Dental Officer of the Surface Pacific Fleet and
retired from the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington, DC as Director of
Dental Operations.
His awards included Meritorious Service Medal with Star, Navy Commendation Medal
with Star, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Armed Forces Reserve
Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Stars, Philippine Republic Presidential Unit
Citation and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Palm.
Barry was a proud 30-year member of Temple Emanu-El where he served on the Board
of Directors. He volunteered for Mama's Kitchen and was a member of the Jewish War
Veterans. As a founding member of his Havurah, he nurtured and appreciated many
deep, long term friendships.
Second only to his family, golf was a great passion. He collected 5 holes-in-one over
the years and spent many, many days playing the excellent courses in San Diego with
his retired military friends. Also a life long fan of college basketball, he was
undoubtedly the biggest Tar Heel fan never to live in North Carolina.
He loved his family above all else. His grandchildren were his greatest source of pride
and he would share stories of them to anyone willing to listen. He is survived by his
daughters Lori Ginsberg (Peter), Alisa Adkins (Blake), grandchildren Chase (Toni), Jake,
Tyler, Talia, Danica and great-grands Dominic and Desi. Also by his brother-in-law and
sister-in-law Chet and Debbie Kessler. He was preceded in death by his sisters,
Marion and Sevia and (by 363 days) his amazing wife of 60 years, Gayle.