Condolences

• January 31, 2026

  Micki Murphy

  I remember my uncle Benny coming to stay with our family when we lived in New Port News, VA. He was always making jokes. Everyone in the neighborhood loved him and he made us all laugh. He called me Lenny. He had nick names for all of us kids. I remember one day he was babysitting me by the pool. He decided to teach me how to swim after having a few beers. Let's just say I drank a lot of pool water that day! Mom was not pleased🤭. Uncle Benny had a pet monkey, that he loved. Monkey was a little devilish, and would perch on top of the door sill, and pee on him as he walked in, and uncle Benny would chase him around the house. It was all in fun, and wonderful memories. Uncle Benny surprisingly, called me about 4 years ago when I was living in China. He was his bubbly, jovial self. We laughed and caught up. I am so happy that I had the chance to talk to my uncle one last time. Rest well Uncle Benny. You are loved, and will forever be missed💐💗🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

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  January 31, 2026

  Paulette Mickens

  My Uncle Benny never called me Paulette ..I was "Cookie"from the beginning. When he came in the door calling "Where's Cookie?" I would come flying down the stairs cause Uncle Benny was in "da house " and it was gonna be a Mardi Gras .. let the good times roll type of day!!! If it was winter you grabbed hat and gloves cause he was going to help you build that snowman... if it was hot outside ...he'd pull out the garden water hose! He was the "Fun" uncle who always made you laugh and told you outlandish stories with a real live monkey perched on his shoulder . (TRUE!!!) Charismatic ... a natural born charmer and comedian .. my Uncle Benny recognized the humor and the absurdities of life .. and could school you on both. He'd been around the block ... he'd been in the service during Vietnam .. he'd seen some things...lived through it ..came out on the other side all while still being true to himself... A Big Heart .. A Big Laugh .. A Big Life ... will Love and Miss you Always... Cookie

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  January 30, 2026

  Nate & Pam (Mickens) McCray & family

  Sending our love and prayers to Bethia, Stacia, Trystan and all who love Uncle Benny. Remembering Uncle Benny... Uncle Benny was a steady light in my life. The kind of light that made everything feel warmer just by being there. He was that uncle every little girl hopes for, the one you can't wait to see. You'll always be my fav Unc, and I'll always smile when thinking of you. Every time I saw him or heard his voice, he would say, "Jap Baby," the nickname he gave me that I'll carry forever. "Is that Jap Baby on the phone?" he'd ask, and just like that, I felt his love. He had a way of bringing joy wherever he went. Laughter followed him, but so did calm. When things felt heavy, Uncle Benny had a way of settling the room, like everything was going to be okay. His wisdom wasn't loud or forced, it was gentle and steady, shared when you needed it most. Some of my favorite memories are the summers when Grandma would take me on long bus rides from Jersey to spend time with Uncle Benny and his family. Those trips were something I looked forward to so much. Being there felt like home. I loved spending time with him, enjoying those days with my little cousins, Bethia and Stacia, laughing, playing, and just being together. He introduced me to things like goat milk, yuck, beet juice and things that I would not value until I got older. Those moments are forever etched in my heart. Uncle Benny had a heart of gold and a way of making everyone feel welcome. He made friends everywhere he went, and anyone who knew him loved him. Though he's no longer here with us, his light hasn't gone out. It lives on in our memories, in our laughter, and in the love he gave so freely. Uncle Benny will be deeply missed and forever loved. We love you always Uncle Benny, Pam (Nate & your nieces and nephews) Las Vegas, NV

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  January 28, 2026

  Darryl Mickens

  A Loving Tribute to Uncle Benny Rest in Power There are men who leave fingerprints on your life, and then there are men like Uncle Benny—those rare souls who shape your spirit, sharpen your thinking, and stretch your laughter until it fills the whole room. To me, he was never just an uncle. At different moments in my life, he stepped into roles that only a man of deep character and deeper love could hold. Sometimes he was a treasured friend. Sometimes an older brother. Sometimes a second father. But always—always—he was a respected elder whose presence carried weight, wisdom, and warmth. Uncle Benny had a gift for making every one of Cat's kids feel seen. Paulette was forever "Cookie." Pam was eternally "Jap Baby." And the day I joined the Navy, he stamped me with a title that stuck for life: "The Admiral." He said it with that signature grin, that playful tone, that mix of humor and honor that only he could pull off. His nicknames weren't jokes—they were badges, reminders that he saw something unique in each of us. What many may not have realized—because he wrapped everything in humor—was that Uncle Benny carried a profound spiritual awareness. Beneath the jokes, beneath the laughter, beneath the easygoing charm, lived a true Berean. He searched the Scriptures for himself. He sought truth not through the lens of tradition or the interpretations of other men, but through the revelation of the Spirit of the Most High. He questioned. He studied. He listened. And he encouraged me to do the same. That challenge—to think deeply, to seek truth earnestly, to walk with humility, to laugh with a full heart, and to never take myself too seriously—became one of the greatest gifts he ever gave me. It shaped my faith. It shaped my manhood. It shaped my life. For all of that, Uncle Benny, I will always love you. I will always respect you. And I will always carry your lessons forward. Your laughter lives in us. Your wisdom lives through us. Your spirit lives with us. Rest in Power, Uncle Benny. Your legacy is safe with me.

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  January 25, 2026

  Bethia Green

  Loving Memory of Benjamin Albert Holmes (November 8, 1938 – January 9, 2026) Born in Paterson, NJ, Benjamin was a proud 82nd Airborne paratrooper and a ingenious craftsman who could fix anything. He is preceded in death by his father Robert Holmes, mother Pauline Holmes, and sister Catherine Mickens. He is survived by his daughters Bethia Green and Stacia Anderson, grandson Trystan Green, brother Frederick Holmes, and sister Lorraine Cox. A master of conversation who never met a stranger, he navigated life's journey with resilience and a joyful spirit. He passed away on January 9, 2026, leaving a lasting legacy of service, ingenuity, and heart.