Albert Beniyaminov

December 6, 2023 will commemorate one year since the passing of Albert Beniyaminov.

 From the moment of his birth on August 1958, into the family of Ester ( Esya) Mavashev and Gavriel (Grisha) Beniyaminov, displaying his hazel eyes and golden curls, Albert was unique. Albert, as his father Grisha (an admired physicist and beloved teacher), had a voracious appetite and an extraordinary ability to seek and retain knowledge from an early age. As the eldest brother to Rita and Yosef, he showed himself to be compassionate and considerate. And like his mother, he was reserved and hard-working. These traits carried him to one of the top physics universities in Tashkent called TashGu.  Armed with his degree and admiration for his father’s work, he helped his father open, establish and run a preparatory school for those interested in admission to medical and pharmaceutical colleges. In addition, he went on to complete an equivalent of US masters degree in the field of physics of optics (lasers), had a discovery that he patented, completed Moscow based degree in patent structure and formation with a golden diploma and authored multiple scholarly articles.  All of this he archived before his 28th birthday. 

 Despite these many accomplishments, he remained humble and considered his greatest achievement to be the establishment of his own family. In 1978, a chance encounter at a family member’s wedding brought Albert face to face with the love of his life, Maria (Masha) Yurevna .  Wedding bells rang for Mashenka and Albert in 1979 and by 1981, the young couple became a family of four with the addition of daughters Yanna and Oksana. As a husband and father, Albert was a man devoted and he ensure that every need of his young family was his priority.  From sowing clothes, acquiring pets, providing swim lessons or singing and acting out bedtime stories for his daughters enjoyment, helping his wife prepare meals or cleaning the house, Albert’s presence and love was easy to see and feel.

 His life changed in 1989 when a tragedy struck Albert. That year, he faced the sudden loss of his beloved father Grisha, a man whom he greatly admired and often emulated.  For two weeks while is father was ill prior to his death Albert stayed by his side. Sleeping on the floor of the hospital, he implored many differed medical professionals to stop the rapid decline of his father’s health but his efforts were ineffective. Grisha Gavriel Beniyaminov passed away on July 28, 1989 at 54 years of age, leaving his grieving son Albert as the head of the family 1 month before Albert’s 31st birthday.

 Albert faced a great challenge. He, as the new head of the family, faced political shifts in his home country. And in 1991, Albert with his young family and his recently widowed mom immigrated from Tashkent Uzbekistan to San Diego, California.  The move allowed him not only to ensure the safety of his family but to also enliven the dream that his father Grisha had to live and grow in America. Armed with his knowledge of English, his tenacity, his wife’s encouragement and faithful support, as well as his desire to do the best for his family, Albert secured A degree in computer science and recertified his masters in optical physics at San Diego State University. He’s successfully gained a position as an Optical Engineer and laser Developer in the company called Cymer, where for nearly 25 years, he showed himself to be a valued and indispensable employee and a rare talent. 

Despite these achievements, his devotion to family persisted and his humble nature prevailed. Hand in hand he would walk with his Mashenka and with honor in his voice he praised the achievements of his family. His treasured wife, Masha became a much thought after Nurse in San Diego helping countless of Russian speaking patients, a fact in which he took great pride. His daughters, following their parents example, graduated with honors from top universities In San Diego.  Soon after - although with great distress at not being able to spend time with their parents on a daily basis – the girls moved to the East Coast to grow their families and careers. Yanna became a physician and a mother of 4 with her husband Slava, while Oksana completed double major in finance management and computer science and became a financial analyst/IT and a mother of 6 with her husband Eli.

Albert and Masha missed their girls dearly, but they knew that he and Masha prepared them to face their life challenges. He taught each one to be self-reliant and sufficient by: devoting himself to proofread essays and completing homework, cheerleading for tennis or swim team events, gently encouraging to explore the mechanics of a car or physics of a wave or construction of a bed or the science of putting a meal together, establishing strong family ties with both his and his wife’s families, as well as surrounding his daughters with  the traditions of their parents and grandparents and encouraging the girls listen to the wisdom of His  beloved wife’s words. To his daughters he showed what it is to be a compassionate person, a caring parent and a loving partner.

He was well loved and respected among those who knew him for his fairness, integrity and selflessness. When he spoke, sang or danced, many would stand in admiration. But when he was asked for help, many applauded his selflessness, compassion and ability. 

He stayed in San Diego until the passing of his mother at the age of 74. To her he was a son devoted. He travelled with her when he could, he made her laugh, he danced with her, he looked for cures for her ailments and took on himself to alleviate much of her distress especially in her final years. Through her life, knowing how much she was impacted by the loss of her own beloved husband, Albert made sure that she was surrounded by family, deciding to move to San Diego to give her a chance to be near her parents and brother, who immigrated there the year prior, and her aunts whom she adored. Albert ensured that his siblings who immigrated after 1991 were also near her and selflessly helped guide each one to their own successful positions in life. His mother’s passing in 2013, as that of his father Grisha in 1989, was a difficult challenge to overcome. 

He moved to New York with his heart heavy from his mother’s loss but his mind brimming with the possibilities of helping establish his grandchildren’s futures.  In their final years together, Mashenka and Albert, although Albert’s health was slowing him down, devoted themself to their grandchildren.  Albert would take them on bike lesson, swim lessons, art lessons, sewing lessons, sleigh riding, horseback riding, ice-skating, homework, teaching math or science or even Hebrew, taking them to Shul, teaching them respect, teaching them the the values that he himself treasured. Often, he would say: “it will be very soon that we can have a minion within our family and wouldn’t it be a great thing to see.”

 64 years. Although his life was short, his life was full.

His love, his compassion, his warmth, his gentleness, his intellect, his humbleness, his devotion, his companionship, his partnership, his presence are just some of the things that are dearly missed.

For those who knew him, honored him and respected him, and loved him, We, his family, ask that you join us to commemorate the life of this man on 

December 6, 2023 at 7 PM 

in Versailles Palace

63-34 Austin St, Queens, NY 11374