Benjamin William Nutter

Benjamin Nutter or “Ben” as most called him was born on May 16, 1928 as the 9th child of his 42 year-old mother Louisa, and came into the world with his own best friend and first partner-in-crime, twin sister Helen. Born and raised in Camden, NJ they got into their fair share of adventures together. The youngest by just a few minutes, his twin would later help him raise their dog, do garden chores together and one day introduce him to the love of his life, his next partner in crime and lifelong fellow adventurer, wife Carolyn. Married for nearly 70 years in October 1951 together they would raise three children, Linda (Lyn Sweeney of San Diego), Robert W. Nutter (of Lincoln, CA) and David L. Nutter (of Cocoa Beach, FL).

Before he met Carolyn, he enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 18, where he did a special tour of duty during WWII with the 34th ENGR BASE Photo Mapping Company, destined for the Philippines to help rebuild the towns and roads there for what would later be known as the Army Corps of Engineers. He discovered his passion for mapmaking, color, design and preproduction which would later become the basis for a 50-year career in the printing industry. Taking home his Victory Medal, Marksman Medal for the MM M1 Rifle and his Honorable Discharge, he attended Drexel University before going to work in Washington D.C. along with his bride. Later he would rank as number one in the color printing industry starting out as a photo engraver, then on to a Quality Control Supervisor and Color Expert long before computers did the job for him. Working for such publications as Seventeen Magazine and Reader’s Digest, Ben and his wife moved around the country while she worked in the legal field. He contributed to the Boston Globe and Baltimore Sun supplements. Finally he called the Reader’s Digest home, retiring in 1989 to move to his dream location of sunny California to be closer to some of their children.

Ben is survived by his lovely wife Carolyn and their three children, six grandchildren (Jenny, Benjamin, David, Danielle, Derek and Nicole) five great-grandchildren (Malia, Cecily, Daphne and Joseph) and Betty. He loved being Pop-Pop and most recently, Old Pop-Pop. He was preceded in death by his twin sister Helen by just 3 years. He was surrounded in San Diego by many friends, family members and loved ones who made his last few years peaceful and joyful for him, kept his spirits up, and made every day just a little happier when it wasn’t possible to see his wife whom he loved and missed dearly and called every day at the same time. His loving sister-in-law Helen Rigolizzo, dear niece JoAnn Gurenlian, beloved niece Hope (daughter of his twin sister) all contributing to his well-being among many. Friends Ana and Craig, Jaime and Cindy, Dr. Erol and Lauren, and the loving care shown to him at Canyon Villas Retirement at the end of his life were gifts not soon forgotten. His many nieces and nephews, step-grands and loved ones were never far from his thoughts or memory. He passed away quietly on August 31, 2021 after telling his wife a few days before not to
feel sad, but to know that he loves her dearly and they will be together forever.

Donations in his name can be made to CanyonVillasRetirement.org a 501 c(3) charitable organization to their Christmas Fund in order to care for those who took such loving care of him during his Hospice days. Military Honors and Committal Service 9-15-2021 at Miramar National Cemetery at 1:15pm.