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Benjamin C. Saucedo
Born: 6/9/1950
Died: 10/21/2019
Age: 69
Community: East Lansing, MI
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SAUCEDO, Benjamin( Ben, Bennie, Mr. Sauedo) -- Age 69, of East Lansing, died October 21, 2019. Funeral Services will be held 6PM Thursday October 24 at Sharp Funeral Homes, Miller Road Chapel, 8138 Miller Road Swartz Creek. Visitation will be 2PM Thursday until time of service at the funeral home. Ben was born on June 9, 1950 to Anita Cardenas and Eliseo Saucedo. He was born and raised on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. After his father left the family when he was a young boy, Ben was raised along with his two sisters Lucy and Rosie by their single mother. Although he felt fortunate later in life to reconcile with his father, being raised without a father had a profound impact on Ben and left him determined to become a devoted husband, supportive father and to be a mentor to others, specifically males who needed a positive male role model during formative years. These were his life’s missions and he was certainly successful. Ben graduated from Tuley High School in Chicago in 1969. Growing up in Chicago, Ben met lifelong best friends at school, work and within his church youth group. His unwavering faith in God and good friendships fulfilled and sustained him throughout his life. It was through his church youth group that he traveled to Michigan in 1973 for a youth convention and met the one and only love of his life, Dora Tijerina, a native of Flint, Michigan. After a long distance courtship between Chicago and Flint; Ben and Dora were married on May 3, 1975. After being married, they lived briefly in Chicago, Arizona and Durand before settling in Flint to raise their family. In 1980, they adopted their long awaited daughter, Destiny Amor. After working for years at Grand Trunk Railroad, Ben decided that he was not fulfilling his life’s passion of helping others and decided to pursue higher education to become a counselor. In 1990, Ben graduated from the University of Michigan – Flint with a degree in Psychology and went on to Eastern Michigan University to complete his Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling. Throughout his higher education, Ben loved learning new ideas and concepts, teaching himself an instrument (piano) and most of all: being an example to those from disadvantaged backgrounds that they too could pursue higher education if that is what they wished to do. He was never defined by stereotypes or life circumstances; he was determined to be an example of a successful and professional Mexican – American man. Throughout his career, Ben worked in various roles in the Flint Community Schools, Mott Community College – Upward Bound and later in life, as a Mentor for Western Governor’s University – Teacher’s College. If you asked him which position he liked the most it was difficult to choose because they all involved him helping, guiding and serving others. Outside of his career, Ben enjoyed listening to music: The Beatles, Barry Manilow and 1960’s Oldies, rooting for his favorite football team: Da Bears (!) and traveling with his family around the Western United States, visiting various national parks – always driving, never flying. Of all the places he traveled, there was no place he loved more than The Grand Canyon. He never tired of its beauty, and always wanted others to experience it or hear about his adventures hiking, white water rafting and camping in the canyon. He hiked the Canyon numerous times, the last time being August 2018 when he camped with his oldest grandson, Sami. Throughout his battle with stage 4 prostate cancer, which lasted exactly 10 months, Ben fought in the way he always had: with a courageous and unwavering belief in God. Through it all, until his last breath, Ben reassured all around him that he was at peace with God’s Will and he was ready to leave this earth once his work was done. Ben is survived by his devoted wife of 44 years, Dora; his only child, Destiny; his favorite son-in-law, Sami and his three grandsons: Sami “Sam Sam”, Ali “Diggy” and Khalil “Kiki”. Ben also leaves behind his mother Anita Cardenas and two sisters Lucy Morales (husband: Alberto Morales) and Rosalinda Cardenas. Ben was also very close to his in-laws, the Tijerina family: parents-in- law Mary Lou and Donato Tijerina, Sr., Cynthia and Donato Tijerina, Jr., Tina and Danny Tijerina, Mary Vizcarra and Delphine and Dave Garcia along with many nieces and nephews. Ben would also want to acknowledge his lifelong best friend, Peter Garza and his wife, Lisa. Tributes may be shared at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.
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| Visitation |
| Date: |
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10/24/2019 |
| Time: |
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2:00 PM |
| 2PM until time of service Thursday |
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