Etta Benjamin

Etta Benjamin passed to join her beloved husband LeRoy on December 19, 2009 concluding a rich and fulfilling life in the comfort of her home.She was a devoted wife, mother, sister, cousin, friend and business women. She enjoyed people, great food, throwing fantastic parties, working hard, singing, music and classic movies too.Services will be held at 1:00pm Wednesday, December 23rd at Mount Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries, Hollywood Hills, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles. Rabbi Jerry Cutler will officiate.Etta Perkins was born July 11, 1924 in St. Louis, MO to Ida and Nat Perkins. In 1943, Etta graduated from Senn High School. Two years later, she met her future husband, LeRoy Benjamin on a blind date. Etta and LeRoy were married in 1946. Their lifelong adventure began with the creation of the nationally known "The LeRoy Brothers" marionette act during the vaudeville era (LeRoy and his marionettes, Etta, with the addition of EttaÂ's brother Earl Perkins). The LeRoy Brothers opened for Danny Thomas and such acts as Jimmy Durante, Louis Armstrong, etc. Danny Thomas always specifically requested that they opened for him stating that they "brought down the house." EttaÂ's li...[more]

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e blossomed with the birth of their beloved son, Gary, in 1953, and Hollywood would become the home of the Benjamin family.In Hollywood, EttaÂ's organizing and planning skills drove the success of their new business adventure "Hillside House of Originals" a framing store and art gallery. This adventure led to a wholesale line of their own artwork, manufactured at their new art facility in Burbank along with Earl, EttaÂ's brother, with several major permanent showrooms nationwide such as the World Trade Center in Dallas and the Los Angeles Furniture Mart. Several years later when the industry changed, they decided to keep up with the times and created The Burbank Media Center where they rented editing rooms to various movie editors then ultimately B.E.T (Black Entertainment Television). After retirement, Etta continued to sing and entertain, even recording her own CDÂ's! The early friendship with the Thomas family led to EttaÂ's generous lifelong support of St. Jude ChildrenÂ's Research Hospital.Her family wrote: "Etta was the core of the family filled with grace, kindness, and the abundance of love & laughter. She was generous with her time, energy, and love. She will be missed tremendously by everyone whose lives she touched." Etta is survived by her son, Gary.In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Tribute Program. Important: Please include Etta's Tribute #: 25142322 with your donation.Mailing Address:Att: TRIBUTE PROGRAMSt. Jude Children's Research HospitalP.O. Box 1000 Dept. 142Memphis, TN 38148Donations via telephone: 800-822-6344