Benjamin Romo Serratos

Benjamin Romo Serratos, 46, of Jesus Maria, Jalisco, Mexico perished in a single-car accident on August 28th, 2024 in Auburn, Washington. Born on November 11th, 1977 to Benjamin Romo Ornelas and Maria Serratos Garcia, Benjamin was a beloved son and brother to ten siblings.
Benjamin spent the early years of his life at his family's farm in Jesus Maria, nestled amongst the region's agave fields. He and his siblings attended primary and secondary school in the nearby schoolhouse until they were deemed old enough to assist with work on and around the farm. At sixteen, with the support of his family, Ben made the brave decision to cross into the United States in pursuit of the American Dream.
Upon his arrival to the United States, Benjamin settled in Washington State, working as a farmhand in Renton. Despite his culture shock and knowing very minimal English, Benjamin was quickly recognized for his talents around the farm and his undeniable work ethic. Eventually, his position led him to meet Lisa Hanley, whom he married in 1998. The pair welcomed a daughter, Ashton, who transformed him into a doting father. Ben's worksites soon benefited from Ashton's "supervision," her pink Barbie fishing pole made regular appearances on his fishing trips, and his outings to the hardware store almost always included her feet hanging off the lumber cart. The two were inseparable!
Benjamin and Lisa remained married until 2004, and embarked on several successful business ventures, including general contracting, real estate, overseeing a mobile home park, and operating a farm in Maple Valley. They shared a love for horses, movies, home projects, gardening, and playing with their dog, Oso. After going their separate ways, Ben and Lisa remained on good terms, and Lisa remained a close friend and staunch supporter of Ben's general contracting business throughout his life.
Sometime later, while frequenting one of Auburn's local dives, Benjamin met Jody Vasquez and cemented his interest in her by falling off a stool and breaking her foot... talk about a bad pick-up line! The pair raised Jody's daughter, Katelyn Cardenas, from a young age and went on to welcome a daughter, Jesenia, and son, Benjamin. The family spent much of their time in Auburn, but often attended the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe's events, POW-WOWs, and fishing derbies to immerse the children in their Native culture. They also planned family outings to the Green River Gorge and Olympic Peninsula to visit Jody's family members, and frequently dined at all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets, of which Ben was a big fan. Benjamin and Jody parted ways in 2021, but remained committed to sharing quality time with their children.
Benjamin was a gifted contractor and handyman who helped flip homes, perform remodels, and complete honey-do lists all around the South Puget Sound Region. He was well-known for his craftsmanship, attention to detail, and innovative problem-solving skills. He had a passion for building and creating and could make even the most difficult projects seem effortless. Ben took pride in every project he completed, and always went above and beyond to make sure his clients were satisfied with their results, even if that meant redoing someone else's work to make sure it met his standards. Benjamin's professionalism, integrity, and dedication to his craft were unparalleled, and he leaves behind a community of grateful friends and clients who will forever cherish his contributions to their homes, businesses, and lives.
Benjamin enjoyed the company of several close friends and clients throughout the years including Harvey, Sam, Shawn, Amy, Kendall, Mary, Hunter, Bill, Tyler, Eddie, Hratch, Shirley, Roger, Debbie, and Jorge, among others. He also made it a priority to remain as close as he could to his family in Mexico, taking numerous trips to Jesus Maria to attend weddings and other celebrations. Ben's dream was to one day return to his hometown, to spend his hard-earned retirement years surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones in Jalisco. He worked tirelessly towards this goal, spending much of the last decade funding the construction of a ranch adjacent to his family's farm. The property was a source of immense pride and motivation for Ben in his final years. The ranch was due to be completed and produce its first harvest of agave this year.
Benjamin's untimely departure leaves a gaping hole in the hearts of those who loved him dearly. He is survived by his daughters Ashton and Jesenia, step-daughter Katelyn, son Benjamin, mother Maria, and siblings Octavio, Andres, Herminia, Genoveba, Ines, Guadalupe, Agustin, Alberto, Rosalia, and Alejandra in addition to countless nephews, nieces, cousins, and extended family members who will miss their dearly departed "Memo."
His burial preparations were performed by the caring staff at Price-Helton Funeral Home in Auburn, Washington and his cremains were lovingly transported by his brother Andres to be laid to rest in Mexico. Benjamin's service was well-attended by members of his hometown community, marking his final journey to the afterlife, where he will continue to be remembered and celebrated in the vibrant Mexican culture. Benjamin will be dearly missed.
A follow-on celebration of life is being planned for family, friends, and loved ones in Washington State; please reach out to Ben's eldest daughter, Ashton, for details.
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