Gerald A. "Ben" Benedetti ’60,  on June 16, 2009. A resident of Livermore, "Ben" passed away at home in Livermore at the age of 72 on June 16, 2009. He was born March 2, 1937 in Salinas, one of two sons of Andrew and Eula Benedetti and graduated from Salinas High in 1954. Ben’s early passion in life for all things mechanical led him to the field of Engineering. He received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University, a Masters degree from Oregon State University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University. After marriage to Nancy in 1960 and starting a family, engineering moved to second place. He was a resident of Livermore since 1962 and employed at Sandia National Labs for over 35 years, retiring in 1997.  Ben loved traditional Jazz and Dixieland music; on any given afternoon or evening if you were to stop by for a visit, "his" music could always be heard coming from the stereo. He and Nancy often traveled to Jazz festivals throughout the west, especially after retirement. He also loved the outdoors and family camping trips when his two sons were young. Another avid pursuit of Ben’s was fixing anything that was broken. There was seldom a time when he didn’t have a mechanical project of one sort or another underway. There seemed to be nothing he couldn’t fix or overhaul. Automatic transmissions, engine overhauls, washing machines, the microwave, whatever it was he’d always find a way to fix it. If anyone had some thing they needed help with, they could ask Ben and he’d help out. If he didn’t know how, he’d find a manual and then become an expert on that subject. He also took the opportunity to laugh whenever he could and loved exchanging jokes and funny stories, and he loved animals. Ben is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nancy; sons Aaron (spouse, Karen) and Andrew (Sirikanya); grandsons Ethan and Darren; brother Don (Nadine); nephews Michael and Ronnie; niece Donna Benedetti; and brother-in-law Richard Leffingwell (Doreen), and Richard’s daughters Karen and Janet. He was a generous man in all ways that mattered, whether taking time out to talk, help or offer advice. He will be dearly missed.