Obituary for
John Baptiste Benneian
John Baptiste Benneian, 90, passed away April 24, 2017 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
He was the devoted husband of the late Margaret (née Tufankjian), his beloved wife of 35 years. He was the loving father of Albert (Mary Lou) of Phoenix, Arizona, Aaron (Teresa) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Armen of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Barbara of Los Angeles, California, and the dearest grandfather of Henry and Abigail.
Born July 8, 1926 in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of Abraham and Esgouhy (née Atoulikian). John lived 86 of his nearly 91 years in the Cleveland area. He attended John Adams High School in the Miles Avenue neighborhood of his childhood and graduated in 1944.
A U.S. Army volunteer in 1944 and Purple Heart recipient, John fought in Germany and France with the 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion of the Fourth Armored Division of General Patton’s Third Army. John was active in numerous veterans groups and attended annual reunions with his comrades.
John graduated Kent State University in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
He met Margaret on a visit to Philadelphia. They were married October 8, 1955 at Saint Alban’s Church in Cleveland Heights.
He enjoyed a highly successful 50-year career as an insurance broker for Great West Life Insurance, keeping offices in the Keith Building at Playhouse Square, then the Investment Plaza Building at 9th & Chester. Over the years, his financial services expertise and reputation earned him numerous industry awards and accolades.
John was an active Shriner for many years and helped raise money for the Shriners Hospitals For Children. John was also a decades-long member of the Theodore Breck Masonic Lodge of Brecksville.
Visitation will be held at Nosek-McCreery Funeral Home, 8150 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH 44141 on Tuesday, May 2 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon followed by a memorial service at 12 p.m. Burial service will immediately follow at Highland Park Cemetery, 21400 Chagrin Boulevard, Cleveland.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in John’s memory to Shriners Hospitals For Children (donate.lovetotherescue.org).