Hope was predeceased by her husband of 60 years Roderick (Rod) Benjamin who also was born and grew up in Cuba, NY. They have two children. Brian Benjamin lives in West End, NC with his wife Wendy while Barbara Nielander lives in Webster, NY with her husband William (Bill). Hope has 4 grandchildren Ross, Cassidy, Zak, and Kyle and 7 great grandchildren.

Hope attended Cuba Central School and graduated in 1952. She went on to attend Alfred State College graduating in 1955.

Rod and Hope were married on November 5th, 1955. Their early married life included living in Cuba and Olean, NY. Hope worked at Olean General for 3 years when they were first married but then stayed home to care for her children, Brian and Barb, while they were young. They moved to Ontario, NY in 1963 and stayed there for 51 years through the rest of their working lives and as their kids grew up. Hope went back to work and spent 23 years at Wayne Central Schools. She started in the library but spent most of her time as the Secretary to the Vice Principal in the Main Office of the High School. They made tons of friends in the community and at Ontario Golf Club. Hope was loved by all the people that she interacted with. She was a wonderful mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, mother-in-law and friend.

Hope and Rod always loved to camp and travel the country so when Hope retired in 1996, they bought a 5th wheel camper. They started leaving New York early in January each year and travelled the country. They would spend the winter in the South and Southwest states. They loved this time and all of the fun places they visited. They kept this schedule until 2011 when they decided it was time to give up the large RV.

Hope and Rod had taken on her mother’s house in Cuba and spent many years enjoying both the Ontario and Cuba communities. Having a second home in Cuba allowed them to stay connected to many of their relatives and childhood friends in town. They dearly loved their time spent there. Once Rod started to have significant health issues, they decided to move to Cuba full time in 2014. Two years later, Rod passed on January 17, 2016.

Hope spent the next 8 years living in Cuba and enjoyed spending most of her time with her sisters (Mary Scott and Carol Place) and her best friend Katie Harbeck. She was always doing something with one of them or the many other friends in town that she cherished. They had a band of people that you would find her out with for the Wednesday Chicken Wing night.

She was predeceased by her sisters and other important family members and friends. She moved to an assisted living facility in Penfield, NY in March 2023. While she enjoyed the staff and friends she made there, a large part of her missed her house in Cuba. Barb and Bill made every effort to take her back as often as they could as she loved to sit on her porch and look at the lake. This also gave her chance to stay up to date with her dear neighbor, Jim Law, who took tremendous care of her house, grounds, and her over many years.

The family is currently figuring out the best way to celebrate her life so there are no planned services at this time.

Arrangements are under direction of the Mark F. Rinker Funeral Home & Memorial Service, Inc., Cuba.