Carl F. Benham passed away suddenly on September 24th, 2023 after an undiagnosed respiratory illness. He would have celebrated his 60th birthday in December.
Born to Alice (nee Schweizer) and Grant Benham, Carl was the younger brother of Mary, Elizabeth, and A.J. Benham, and the older brother of Samuel
Ewing. He attended St. Mary Magdalen school in Media, Pennsylvania and graduated as valedictorian from Solebury School in New Hope in 1981. He credited the school with fostering his lifelong love of reading, and his enduring enthusiasm for Shakespeare and historical biography.
Although he explored career opportunities with Acme Markets and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Carl ultimately chose to work at what he loved best and became a professional golf caddy. He progressed from picking up bags in local course parking lots to being a regular at qualifying schools and on the PGA Senior (Champions) Tour where he thoroughly enjoyed working with Walter Morgan, Buzz Thomas, Dana Quigley, Allen Doyle, Michael Bradley and many others. Carl was deeply grateful to the players and caddies who became beloved friends and trusted mentors, many of whom featured in his hilariously self-deprecating tales of adventures (and misadventures) on and off the golf course. Given his natural talent for storytelling, those tales were often a highlight of Carl’s tour-adjacent visits as he checked in regularly to maintain connections with family and friends around the country.
When golf season was over, Carl turned his full attention to Christmas, taking great pride and joy in executing his role as Chief Elf for his immediate family, and as a Secret Santa for several others’. He nagged people for wish lists, planned surprises, shopped, wrapped, and shipped, kept track of holiday movie schedules, wrangled trees, ran countless errands, and stuffed stockings – all to a soundtrack of holiday classics culled from his vast and eclectic “road music” collection. Whether times were tough or flush, Carl made Christmas as magical for kids – and as peaceful for everyone else – as possible.
In recent years, Carl settled in Florida where he caddied at Hilton Resorts while serving as primary caretaker for his ailing mother. His patient presence and quiet determination allowed Alice to pass peacefully, and he spent his final Christmas ensuring that her prized antiques and collectibles were thoughtfully gifted to loved ones who would appreciate them most.
In addition to his sisters, Carl is survived by nephews William Moran, Grant (married to Ashley) Moran, and niece Molly Moran, as well as great nieces Elsie and Maggie Moran and great nephews Grant and Colton Moran. Memorial services are planned for next year at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia and at Pebble Beach in California.
Carl never met a dog or cat who didn’t befriend him instantly, and he was an inherently passionate and compassionate protector of the vulnerable.