Remembering Claudia Benn: A life of service and love
Aug 7, 2024, 11:10 PM | Updated: Aug 8, 2024, 3:14 am
SALT LAKE CITY – Claudia Benn is remembered by her family as a strong matriarch committed to serving others.
On July 10, 1998, her life ended much earlier than it should have, at the hands of a man executed by the state of Utah for her murder.
Taberon Honie went to Benn’s home to see his ex-girlfriend, who was Benn’s daughter. Benn was helping her daughter, by letting her stay there, and on that night, Benn was babysitting her three grandchildren, including Honie’s 2-year-old daughter.
Claudia was just 49 when she died.
Despite the brutality behind her death, her family says they have worked hard to remember her not by how she died, but how she lived.
No loved ones responded to the KSL investigators’ calls or messages, but several spoke during Honie’s commutation hearing in July about what kind of woman Claudia was.
A sense of service
Claudia Benn was born on June 19, 1949, and grew up in Page, Arizona, according to her obituary published in The Spectrum.
According to her family, Benn’s life was marked by a deep sense of service and compassion. “My aunt just wanted to help,” Sarah China, Benn’s niece, said during Honie’s commutation hearing.
Benn married in 1969 and had three daughters. In the 1980s, she pursued a higher education, earning an associate degree from Southern Utah State College in Cedar City before transferring to the University of Utah to major in sociology. While at the university, she worked at the Women’s Resource Center, helping women further their education.
Professional achievements
Benn’s professional journey included serving as a substance abuse counselor for the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah and holding the position of vice chairwoman of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes.
“She was a mover and shaker and she was a leader,” said her cousin, Betsy China, during Honie’s commutation hearing.
Benn was also known for her love of Tina Turner.
“And now they’re together up there rocking out in the high above heavens,” Sarah China said.
A devoted family member
Despite her many roles, Benn’s family was always her top priority. She took in family members when they needed a place to stay. Sarah China lived with her aunt for a few years when her family was struggling.
“She provided for me, taught me right from wrong,” she recalled.
Another niece, Trevia Wall, testified that Benn “taught me to be proud of who I am and where I come from. And to always know my worth.”
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