Obituary:  Ben Minnich

Picture of Ben Minnich at the OERM in 1986.  Photo courtesy of OERM.

One of the Orange Empire Railway Museum’s earliest members (the 43rd) and a life member, Ben Minnich passed away on March 23rd of this year.  A native of Minnesota, and a graduate of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., he was born on May 20, 1924.  Ben (whose full name was Dwight Benton Minnich) became the general manager of the Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine after his graduation from Havard. Moving to California in 1959, he became active in the OERM and served on the Board of Directors, and was once the museum’s Treasurer.  The owner of the local newspaper, the Perris Progress in the 1960s and 1970s, he was also active in the Perris community, serving terms on the City Council and School District.  Poor health kept Ben from active participation at the museum in recent years, but his name is well known in museum circles, and anyone who knew him has many “Ben stories” to tell. He is survived by his wife Mae, two sons Harvey and Roland, and three grandchildren.

(OERM press release)