He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Georgia and their two sons, Gerald (Michele) and Jeffrey (Lisa) Bender, and by his three grandchildren: Julian Bender and Ava & James Bender. John is also survived by his brother George, sister Maria, and many nieces and nephews. He also took great pride in his two beloved German Shepherds, Trekker and Adonis. John was predeceased by his parents, and an older brother (Hank) and sister (Hermien).
Our beloved “Papa” was born on August 30, 1940 to John and Maria Bender of Venice, California. He was the fourth of their five children. He grew up in Venice until he married his soul mate, Georgia Lohrli on August 25, 1962. Santa Monica became their home from that point on.
John enjoyed working as a plumbing and piping superintendent for many years at several different companies. He worked tirelessly constructing multiple hospitals in and around Los Angeles. His life’s motto was to “work hard.” When he wasn’t working, John was an avid fisherman, scuba diver, outdoorsman, and later in life, he developed a love of dog training. He thoroughly enjoyed challenging himself, either in the form of marathons and triathalons (earlier in his life) and later, as a Schutzhund trainer.
John will be greatly missed by his family and the many friends he made throughout his life.
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