BENNY JOSEPH ANDRES

Nov. 18, 1941 - Oct. 5, 2011

Benny passed away in Van Nuys, CA on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 of natural causes. He was 69 years old. Our father Benny Joseph Andres was born on November 18, 1941 in San Francisco to Grace Maxine Weston and Bernardo (Benny) Y. Andres. His father was from the Philippine Islands and his mother hailed from Iowa and was of German decent. Together they had 3 children, Arlene, Benny and Vincent. This was a time when interracial marriage was difficult and their relationship ended. Benny Sr. brought his 3 children to Brawley, where his brother Tony had a barber shop and restaurant. Benny was raised on the east side of Brawley and attended Ruth Reid elementary and Brawley High School. As a teenager, he lived with the family of his best friend, Mike Curiel while his father worked in Northern CA. Benny married and had 4 children. He spent the better part of these years living in Calipatria and worked in the produce industry as a forklift operator. He started various small businesses, some thrived, some didn't. Though he was not well educated, he was bright, articulate and creative. He was very handsome and funny. He was also impatient, demanding, and his temper was legendary. In unguarded moments he referenced the difficulty of growing up without his mother. He carried the pain of that abandonment as he grew into a restless man. Though he tried to be a family man, he was a wonderer, always searching for something he never found, living only for the day. He was tough on us kids but taught us things we still set our clocks by to this day. Our dad was an early proponent of nutrition and fitness. He built a weightlifting room in our backyard and preached daily exercise. To the very end, he ate natural, healthy foods. He discouraged T.V. and encouraged books. He was an avid reader, particularly of American History. He also had a habit of reading the dictionary. He was a car buff. An athlete in his young years, he was ambidextrous. He was a sports fan, particularly of professional football. He had a deep appreciation of the earth and could grow anything. Our father was a conflicted man who eventually went his own way, with internal struggles we will never quite understand. We are eternally greatfull to everyone who ever gave him a helping hand during this time. 13 years ago Benny had an injury that rendered him quadriplegic. He spent those years living in his own home in the Los Angeles area with a caring nursing staff. He was independent, mobile and by the grace of God he lived a long time. Like we all are, our dad was imperfect. But he had his moments when he was truly amazing in our eyes. It's those moments that live in our memories and shine as bright as the sun itself. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Benny and Tamara Andres, of Charlotte NC, Denisia and James Chatfield II of San Diego CA, Eric and Heather Andres of San Diego CA, Roman and Jena Andres of Hardin Montana; grandchildren, Alyssa, Abram, Solana, Santana, Elena, Jimmy, John Roman, Isabella, Lola, Luke, Denisia, Sevilla, and Layla; brother and sister-in-law Vincent and Vivien Andres of MI; niece, Christine Andres of NYC; sister, Arlene Henriques and family of WA; aunt Cely; cousin, Anthony Andres of San Francisco; stepmother, Augustina Andres; stepsister, Yolanda Valdez, both of Brawley, numerous relatives in Hawaii and San Francisco. Services will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at Saint Mary Margaret Catholic Church in Brawley with a rosary at 9 a.m., mass at 10 a.m. followed by the burial at Riverview Cemetery.