Donald Benge
1933-2007
Donald Benge was a very interesting guy who had an amazing variety of skills and interests besides trumpets (which, as I recall, he never learned to play). Among other things, he was a master chess player, classic board game designer (he created Conquest), magician, championship fencer (who represented the United States at the Veteran's World Championships), exotic coin collector, and one of the founders of The Count Dracula Society.
He continued to reside and do business out of his family's home at 1122 West Burbank Blvd, in Burbank.
He was killed on April 6, 2007, when he was struck head on by a wrong-way, drunk driver. The crash occurred about 4:30 a.m. near the Glendale (2) Freeway, when Benge was hit by a Honda Element driven by Paul Runyan, 32, of Santa Clarita, who was traveling westbound in the 134's eastbound lanes. Runyan entered the freeway near Figueroa Street and traveled the wrong way for roughly two miles at speeds of up to 85 mph before encountering a CHP patrol car, said Lt. Damian McDermott of the CHP's Altadena station. Runyan's vehicle narrowly missed the patrol car before colliding with Benge's 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier.
Ironically, Elden Benge was also killed in a car accident, right in front of that home.
©2007 by James F. Donaldson
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