Linda Mae Benjamin

Linda Mae (Stevens) Benjamin, age 87, passed away on Sunday, December 8th at 10:52 pm at Rose Arbor after a short battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, John Henry Benjamin, a daughter, Bonnie (Jim) Longhurst, a son, John (Tammy) Benjamin, and a daughter, Nancy (Ron) Saline, five grandchildren, Jessie Lyke, Jarrett (Jordan) Lyke, Taylor Lyke, Brittany (Keith Johnson) Benjamin, and Jake (Alison) Benjamin, RJ (Erica) Saline, Missy Saline-Tyler and 3 great-grandchildren, Jackson Saline, Beckett Saline, and Kayden Tyler. She is preceded in death by her mother Edith Mae Stevens, her father Cornelius Washington Stevens, and her brother Neal Washington Stevens and numerous uncles.

Linda was born on August 20, 1937, to Edith and Cornelius Stevens in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Nutley High School, where she was a majorette. Linda spent the next two years at Bethany College where she became a member of the Alpha Z Delta sorority.

Linda recently celebrated her 67 years of marriage to her husband John. They lived two doors down from each other in Nutley, New Jersey and shared the same birth date. Together they built a strong family instilled in love and a strong work ethic in their three children while finding time to play tennis and softball, and travel. After retirement they spent their time watching their grandchildren play sports and traveling out of state and out of the country.

She loved to play and watch tennis, drink as many diet cokes as she could, eat McDonalds French fries weekly, eat at Olive Garden for lunch or dinner with family or friends, and “shop ‘till she dropped.” While raising her family she began working for West Hills Athletic Club by becoming the front desk supervisor where she worked for 30 years.

In accordance with the family’s wishes cremation has taken place and a public time of visitation will be Saturday, December 21, from 11a.m-12:00 p.m. A celebration of Life will follow from 12:00 p.m.-1:00pm with a luncheon following the ceremony at Langeland Family Funeral Homes Burial & Cremation Services, 3926 S 9th St, Kalamazoo, 49007.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to Centrica Rose Arbor Place https://centricacare.org or American Cancer Society https://donate.cancer.org/?campaign=honormemorialmenu.