Cliff Benham

[miniman82]

Apologies if this isn’t the correct place for this, but I feel I need to keep the community aware of what’s going on with a dear friend. Also I didn’t want to jump the gun and say something until now, out of respect for Cliff’s privacy and so things could settle down.

If you hadn’t heard, Clifford “sequential color” Benham has unfortunately been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. We hadn’t spoken in some months, until he invited me to his place just before turkey day last year to fix something wrong with his well pump. To say he didn’t look the greatest would be an understatement, but despite my insistence he refused to go see a doctor. Fast forward to January this year, and I found out through a friend of his that he had fallen and was taken to a hospital where scans indicated he also had a mild stroke.

The cancer was already very advanced by this point, so he decided against aggressive treatment and opted to enter hospice care instead. To make a very long and convoluted story short, and for reasons I won’t get into here, I offered to bring him down to my place so he would be looked after and he accepted. He is well cared for here, but unable to leave the bed because of the stroke causing muscle weakness. We have a very nice hospice worker who cares for him while I’m at work, and he gets a lot of cards from his closest friends.

Rather than sending him a card, please post your well wishes here as it’s far more convenient and he will see them faster than snail mail anyway.

The doctors could not say what the timeline for his progression will be, so we are taking things a day at a time. Wish I had better news, but believe me when I tell you he’s far better off here than he would have been in a home.

Kind regards,

Nick

[old_tv_nut]

Thanks, Nick, for letting us know.

Cliff, wishing the best for you.

[Electronic M]

Best wishes Cliff. Hopefully this thing goes as easy on you as it can.

Nick, kudos for going well beyond the proverbial extra mile for a fellow in the hobby.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by miniman82

Apologies if this isn’t the correct place for this, but I feel I need to keep the community aware of what’s going on with a dear friend. Also I didn’t want to jump the gun and say something until now, out of respect for Cliff’s privacy and so things could settle down.

If you hadn’t heard, Clifford “sequential color” Benham has unfortunately been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. We hadn’t spoken in some months, until he invited me to his place just before turkey day last year to fix something wrong with his well pump. To say he didn’t look the greatest would be an understatement, but despite my insistence he refused to go see a doctor. Fast forward to January this year, and I found out through a friend of his that he had fallen and was taken to a hospital where scans indicated he also had a mild stroke.

The cancer was already very advanced by this point, so he decided against aggressive treatment and opted to enter hospice care instead. To make a very long and convoluted story short, and for reasons I won’t get into here, I offered to bring him down to my place so he would be looked after and he accepted. He is well cared for here, but unable to leave the bed because of the stroke causing muscle weakness. We have a very nice hospice worker who cares for him while I’m at work, and he gets a lot of cards from his closest friends.

Rather than sending him a card, please post your well wishes here as it’s far more convenient and he will see them faster than snail mail anyway.

The doctors could not say what the timeline for his progression will be, so we are taking things a day at a time. Wish I had better news, but believe me when I tell you he’s far better off here than he would have been in a home.

Kind regards,

Nick

Cancer shows no mercy! My older brother was diagnosed with that same cancer! He passed away one year ago.

[miniman82]

It is with a heavy heart that I must report to the community that Cliff passed in his sleep on the 13th of April. Right now I am dealing with the funeral home who are preparing him for the cremation he wanted, since he had no immediate family there isn’t a ceremony being planned. His sister down in Florida (who I have been in contact with), will receive his ashes. As I cannot make it to the convention this year, it would be nice if those who attend could remember him by playing the color wheel sets he kept running over the years. They were his passion, and I know he wants people to enjoy watching them for years to come.

[old_tv_nut]

RIP Cliff.

He was an all-around great guy, and there were none better on the subject of field-sequential gear.

[n8nagel]

I only recently joined, but my condolences for what it's worth. You're a good man for helping make his last days better.

[Electronic M]

RIP Cliff.
With any luck he's having a nice chat Peter Goldmark and the rest of the CBS field sequential engineers right now.

[Tube TV]

I'm sorry to hear this. I can remember him on here back when I first joined VK.

[miniman82]

Obit finally posted today, it can be found here:

https://www.brinsfieldfuneral.com/ob...fford-b-benham

I hope I did a good job writing it.

[old_tv_nut]

Some photos of Cliff at ETF

4/24/2010
breakfast with the gang


Presenting


4/23/2010




5/5/2012

[old_tv_nut]

5/20/2014






5/2/2016

[init4fun]

You all have my utmost sympathy for the loss of your dear friend.

[old_tv_nut]

I came across this video of Cliff giving a talk about field sequential color to the Philadelphia SMPTE (first 22 minutes):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAz8TsK5Bnc&t=1464s