Mary Victoria Hillin Benham

June 21, 1927 - January 3, 2018

After 90 years of living, Mary passed away peacefully on January 3, 2018. She was born on June 21, 1927 to Jesse Dawson Hillin and Helen Merrill Hillin of Glendale, California. She graduated from Hoover High School in 1945 and then attended University of California at Berkeley where she was affiliated with Delta Zeta Sorority and graduated in 1949 with a BS in Psychology/Sociology. She met Arthur George Benham at Cal and they married in 1950. They settled in Menlo Park and had 2 daughters. Sharon L Benham Kelly of Manhattan Beach, California and Alanna A Benham Dittoe of Piedmont, California. She served as President of the Peninsula Crippled Children’s Society in addition to being involved in the PTA while her daughters attended Menlo Park Schools. She was also on staff at Chuck Thompson Swim School and O’Leary Insurance Company. She resided in Menlo Park for 25 years and then Cupertino /Sharon Heights with her partner, the late Richard L Larrabure of Menlo Park.

Mary loved animals, especially dogs...The family dogs were an integral part of her life and she supported the Humane Society. Mary also supported all causes to do with the Veterans of World War I and II. She lost her father due to an injury from WWI. She also loved to travel and spend time at Rio Del Mar beach with her family and close family friends. Mary encouraged and supported her daughters in swim team, Girl Scouts, drill teams/pom-pom teams, academics-College prep, Sorority rush and career ventures. She also was an avid tennis player and competed in USTA on the Peninsula.

She is survived by her daughters Sharon Benham Kelly and son-in-law Thomas W Kelly of Manhattan Beach, CA, Alanna Benham Dittoe and son-in-law John E Dittoe of Piedmont, CA; granddaughter Kirstin Dittoe Cicero and grandsonin-law Robert James Cicero of Hoboken, New Jersey, and great-grandsons John Robert Cicero and Andrew James Cicero, Hoboken, New Jersey; her sister Audrey Lois Hillin Grose and niece Deborah Grose Cole and nephew Gregg L. Grose.

The family is holding a private family service and memorial.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s name should be made to the following:

Ozzie’s Pound Puppies (www.ozziespoundpuppies.org), 2900 Crawford St, Concord, CA 94518 or Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (www.arflife. org), 2890 Mitchell Dr. Walnut Creek, CA 94598