Jeffrey L. Benjamin, M.D.

Jeffrey L. Benjamin, M.D.
Jeffrey Benjamin " beloved husband and father, huge-hearted friend to many " passed away on March 25 in a tragic accident on the Bitterroot River. Jeff's 74 years were full beyond any telling, as he lived every day with passion and focus, gathering achievements and friendships along the way.
Jeff was born in Brooklyn, NY, the only child of Rose and Sheppard Benjamin. He attended Erasmus Hall High School, where he enjoyed both science and literature, and became fluent in French. He graduated from Princeton University with the class of 1963. He then earned his M.D. at New York University School of Medicine. During Vietnam, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, and was assigned as head surgeon on its pioneering research team for organ transplantation at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. After his military service he returned to NYU Medical Center, where he completed seven years of training in general surgery, then plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Jeff moved to Stamford, Connecticut and, in 1976, opened his private practice, specializing in reconstructive surgery, cosmetic surgery, and hand surgery. With his wife Susannah, the love of his life, he built a robust practice, from which he retired after 29 years. He was a member of multiple professional societies, including the Aesthetic Society for Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He was a founding member and president of the Connecticut Society for Plastic Surgeons. "Dr. B." was celebrated by his patients but was beloved by his staff, many of whom have remained friends to the present day.
Life in Connecticut was rich with family and friendships. Jeff was a warm and loving dad to his 3 children, Adam, Teddi, and Shep. Jeff and Susannah loved to entertain at the house that they built together, their ongoing project. Typical of him, he also pursued his many interests with as much intensity as he approached surgery, teaching himself the skills he desired. He was an exceptional photographer, dedicated golfer for a time, avid movie-lover, music lover, and "foodie." He and Susannah loved travel when time permitted. In quieter moments Jeff indulged his fascination with history, and celebrated military pageantry by painting model Napoleonic soldiers with exquisite detail.
Jeff and Susannah fell in love with the Bitterroot Valley during a long-postponed honeymoon, and immediately shared a vision of their future. They built a log home in Conner, and finally became full-time Montanans when Jeff retired in 2005. He embraced Montana with his typical gusto, learning about its history and wildlife, exploring its byways, and pulling friends and community into the orbit of his charisma. Jeff especially loved to be outdoors, and every day was an opportunity to embrace his favorite activities: hunting, fishing, gardening, shooting, cross-country skiing, biking, or hiking.
Jeff loved his "hill" in Montana, and worked tirelessly to make it beautiful, as he did all things. He frequently sent photos to his children of the vista from his porch. Often, at the end of a day spent outdoors, he would regard the sunset over the mountains and say, "This is paradise." His ashes are buried here, in one of his favorite spots overlooking the valley.
Jeff will be missed by all who knew him, but most deeply by his wife Susannah, his children Adam Benjamin and his wife Anne-Marie (Portland, Oregon), Teddi Benjamin and her husband Miguel Cebrian (Madrid, Spain), Sheppard Benjamin and his fiancAC.e Hillary Palmer (Charleston, South Carolina), and his two granddaughters Olivia and Agatha Cebrian. There will be no funeral, but rather a celebration on March 31 of the bigness of Jeff's life. Inquiries can be made to the Daly Leach Memorial Chapel. The family suggests that any memorial donations in his name be made to the Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital Foundation, 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton, MT 59840.