Benjamin hopped into Detroit, Michigan from Iuka, Illinois where he graduated from Illinois School for the Deaf. He was the first Deaf driver to get a drivers license in the State of Michigan with Monsignor Henry Kaufmann's help. His wife, E. Evans Beaver was among the first 4 Deaf women to get a drivers license, too. He also was one of 5 Deaf men who established the Detroit Association of the Deaf, one of the oldest Deaf clubs in America that is still running today. He has been one of the prominent Deaf leaders in Detroit for a long time. There is an interesting tibit about him- still a mystery- that he was in newspapers and magazines between November and December 1915 announcing his vow of transcontinental trip across the America from New York City to San Francisco on a 8 cylinder experimental King Motor 1915 car. The mystery is whether he has accomplished that trip or not. NOTE: Cemetery information will be updated as soon as I find out the accurate gravesite.
Obituary Notice:
Detroit Free Press, September 11, 1992 written by Amber Arellano wrote:
Benjamin J. Beaver wasn't able to hear an umpire's yell, and his deafness made driving and communicating at work an extra challenge. But the longtime Detroiter refused to let his condition block his success in sports and the workplace, and he took it upon himself to ensure that other deaf people had the same opportunities. A lifelong advocate for Michigan's deaf community and one of the founders of the Detroit Assn. of the Deaf (DAD), Mr. Beaver, 100, died Tuesday of heart failure at the Nevil Home for the Deaf in Elwyn, Pa. Mr. Beaver lost his hearing from spinal mengingtis as an infant. Yet the Illinois native became a standout baseball player in the community leagues and was one of Michigan's first licensed deaf drivers. he organized DAD in the 1960's. "He was a fighter," said his son, Howard Beaver of Philadelphia. "He loved playing baseball and he put all the enthusiasm he had for it into the rest of his life to help others." Mr. Beaver came to the Detroit area in 1915 to work for Ford Motor Co. He was employed by Ford for 42 years, rising to engine inspector. In response to state lawmakers periodically considering the restriction of driving privileges for the deaf, he organized the Michigan Deaf Drivers' Defense Fund in the 1960s, which remains today, to help deaf people keep their rights through the courts. He also worked to bring closed captioning and sign language to schools for deaf people, said his daughter, Virginia Stevenson of Fountain. "He didn't just care about the deaf," Stevenson said. "He cared about everybody." Mr. Beaver held various offices in the National Assn. of the Deaf, Tri-County Deaf Senior Citizens, Our Savior Lutheran Church of the Deaf and the Deaf Lions Club. He also is survived by five grand-children and nine great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m.today at Ross. B. Northop and Son Funderal Home, 22401 Grand River, Detroit. Burial will be in Grandlawn Cemetery, Detroit. He joins his 1st wife, Etta May Beaver and 2nd wife Helene A. (Warsaw) Beaver at the cemetery. For more information about Benjamin, find "Detroit's Deaf Heritage" book by Kathleen Brockway.
Obituary Notice:
Detroit Free Press, September 11, 1992 written by Amber Arellano wrote:
Benjamin J. Beaver wasn't able to hear an umpire's yell, and his deafness made driving and communicating at work an extra challenge. But the longtime Detroiter refused to let his condition block his success in sports and the workplace, and he took it upon himself to ensure that other deaf people had the same opportunities. A lifelong advocate for Michigan's deaf community and one of the founders of the Detroit Assn. of the Deaf (DAD), Mr. Beaver, 100, died Tuesday of heart failure at the Nevil Home for the Deaf in Elwyn, Pa. Mr. Beaver lost his hearing from spinal mengingtis as an infant. Yet the Illinois native became a standout baseball player in the community leagues and was one of Michigan's first licensed deaf drivers. he organized DAD in the 1960's. "He was a fighter," said his son, Howard Beaver of Philadelphia. "He loved playing baseball and he put all the enthusiasm he had for it into the rest of his life to help others." Mr. Beaver came to the Detroit area in 1915 to work for Ford Motor Co. He was employed by Ford for 42 years, rising to engine inspector. In response to state lawmakers periodically considering the restriction of driving privileges for the deaf, he organized the Michigan Deaf Drivers' Defense Fund in the 1960s, which remains today, to help deaf people keep their rights through the courts. He also worked to bring closed captioning and sign language to schools for deaf people, said his daughter, Virginia Stevenson of Fountain. "He didn't just care about the deaf," Stevenson said. "He cared about everybody." Mr. Beaver held various offices in the National Assn. of the Deaf, Tri-County Deaf Senior Citizens, Our Savior Lutheran Church of the Deaf and the Deaf Lions Club. He also is survived by five grand-children and nine great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m.today at Ross. B. Northop and Son Funderal Home, 22401 Grand River, Detroit. Burial will be in Grandlawn Cemetery, Detroit. He joins his 1st wife, Etta May Beaver and 2nd wife Helene A. (Warsaw) Beaver at the cemetery. For more information about Benjamin, find "Detroit's Deaf Heritage" book by Kathleen Brockway.
Benjamin hopped into Detroit, Michigan from Iuka, Illinois where he graduated from Illinois School for the Deaf. He was the first Deaf driver to get a drivers license in the State of Michigan with Monsignor Henry Kaufmann's help. His wife, E. Evans Beaver was among the first 4 Deaf women to get a drivers license, too. He also was one of 5 Deaf men who established the Detroit Association of the Deaf, one of the oldest Deaf clubs in America that is still running today. He has been one of the prominent Deaf leaders in Detroit for a long time. There is an interesting tibit about him- still a mystery- that he was in newspapers and magazines between November and December 1915 announcing his vow of transcontinental trip across the America from New York City to San Francisco on a 8 cylinder experimental King Motor 1915 car. The mystery is whether he has accomplished that trip or not. NOTE: Cemetery information will be updated as soon as I find out the accurate gravesite.
Obituary Notice:
Detroit Free Press, September 11, 1992 written by Amber Arellano wrote:
Benjamin J. Beaver wasn't able to hear an umpire's yell, and his deafness made driving and communicating at work an extra challenge. But the longtime Detroiter refused to let his condition block his success in sports and the workplace, and he took it upon himself to ensure that other deaf people had the same opportunities. A lifelong advocate for Michigan's deaf community and one of the founders of the Detroit Assn. of the Deaf (DAD), Mr. Beaver, 100, died Tuesday of heart failure at the Nevil Home for the Deaf in Elwyn, Pa. Mr. Beaver lost his hearing from spinal mengingtis as an infant. Yet the Illinois native became a standout baseball player in the community leagues and was one of Michigan's first licensed deaf drivers. he organized DAD in the 1960's. "He was a fighter," said his son, Howard Beaver of Philadelphia. "He loved playing baseball and he put all the enthusiasm he had for it into the rest of his life to help others." Mr. Beaver came to the Detroit area in 1915 to work for Ford Motor Co. He was employed by Ford for 42 years, rising to engine inspector. In response to state lawmakers periodically considering the restriction of driving privileges for the deaf, he organized the Michigan Deaf Drivers' Defense Fund in the 1960s, which remains today, to help deaf people keep their rights through the courts. He also worked to bring closed captioning and sign language to schools for deaf people, said his daughter, Virginia Stevenson of Fountain. "He didn't just care about the deaf," Stevenson said. "He cared about everybody." Mr. Beaver held various offices in the National Assn. of the Deaf, Tri-County Deaf Senior Citizens, Our Savior Lutheran Church of the Deaf and the Deaf Lions Club. He also is survived by five grand-children and nine great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m.today at Ross. B. Northop and Son Funderal Home, 22401 Grand River, Detroit. Burial will be in Grandlawn Cemetery, Detroit. He joins his 1st wife, Etta May Beaver and 2nd wife Helene A. (Warsaw) Beaver at the cemetery. For more information about Benjamin, find "Detroit's Deaf Heritage" book by Kathleen Brockway.
Obituary Notice:
Detroit Free Press, September 11, 1992 written by Amber Arellano wrote:
Benjamin J. Beaver wasn't able to hear an umpire's yell, and his deafness made driving and communicating at work an extra challenge. But the longtime Detroiter refused to let his condition block his success in sports and the workplace, and he took it upon himself to ensure that other deaf people had the same opportunities. A lifelong advocate for Michigan's deaf community and one of the founders of the Detroit Assn. of the Deaf (DAD), Mr. Beaver, 100, died Tuesday of heart failure at the Nevil Home for the Deaf in Elwyn, Pa. Mr. Beaver lost his hearing from spinal mengingtis as an infant. Yet the Illinois native became a standout baseball player in the community leagues and was one of Michigan's first licensed deaf drivers. he organized DAD in the 1960's. "He was a fighter," said his son, Howard Beaver of Philadelphia. "He loved playing baseball and he put all the enthusiasm he had for it into the rest of his life to help others." Mr. Beaver came to the Detroit area in 1915 to work for Ford Motor Co. He was employed by Ford for 42 years, rising to engine inspector. In response to state lawmakers periodically considering the restriction of driving privileges for the deaf, he organized the Michigan Deaf Drivers' Defense Fund in the 1960s, which remains today, to help deaf people keep their rights through the courts. He also worked to bring closed captioning and sign language to schools for deaf people, said his daughter, Virginia Stevenson of Fountain. "He didn't just care about the deaf," Stevenson said. "He cared about everybody." Mr. Beaver held various offices in the National Assn. of the Deaf, Tri-County Deaf Senior Citizens, Our Savior Lutheran Church of the Deaf and the Deaf Lions Club. He also is survived by five grand-children and nine great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m.today at Ross. B. Northop and Son Funderal Home, 22401 Grand River, Detroit. Burial will be in Grandlawn Cemetery, Detroit. He joins his 1st wife, Etta May Beaver and 2nd wife Helene A. (Warsaw) Beaver at the cemetery. For more information about Benjamin, find "Detroit's Deaf Heritage" book by Kathleen Brockway.
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