John Benjamin Vincent
September 1, 1915 – January 18, 2012
John Benjamin Vincent, died on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at The Wyatt House on Bainbridge Island, Washington. He was born on September 1, 1915 in Kalamazoo, Mich. He was 96 years of age.
John was a resident of Bainbridge Island, Wash. and had also lived in Berkeley, Calif. and overseas in India and China. He was educated at Harvard University in Political Science. He later worked as a professional photographer and photojournalist.
John was a WWII Veteran. He was a member of the Port Madison Yacht Club, where he was a summer sailing school instructor, a member of the Bainbridge Island Senior Center and St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. John took the first set of colored photographs of the Buddhist Caves at Tun Huang on the Silk Road in NW China. He was a published author. John will be greatly missed.
He was the beloved husband of Irene Vongehr Vincent for 57 years before she died in 1997. He was a devoted father, grandfather, loving uncle and loyal friend. His passions, in addition to his family and friends, were many and varied. He was a self-described “culture vulture” who particularly enjoyed the ballet, symphony and opera. He was an avid museum-goer. His travels were legendary and there were few places he had not been by the end of his 96 years. He also admitted to having “news-heimers disease” which kept him reading two or three newspapers daily as well as following PBS News. He spent many happy hours reading the newspapers in the Bainbridge Public Library. The Wyatt House became his home and the residents there his extended family during the last years of his life.
John is survived by his children: Jamini Vincent Davies of Pittsburgh, Penn., Bronwyn Vincent (Sherwin Cotler) of Olympia, Wash., Junda Matson of Ore., John E. Vincent (Laurie) of Valley Glen, Calif. There are six grandchildren: Malindi Nan Davies, Briony Davies Raymond (Luke), John L. Brottem IV (Kathryn Clark), Leif V. Brottem (Florentina), Catherine Matson and Trevor S. Vincent; great-grandchildren: Avery and Alexandra Brottem (twin daughters of John and Kathryn). John also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews including E. Christopher Vincent (Jennifer) of Mercer Island, Wash., as well as family friends: Barbara Robbins, Kaili and Barry Cannon, George and Lind Carr. He was preceded in death by his dear wife Irene.
Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend the Memorial Service, at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island March 31 at 1:00. Memorial contributions can be made to the Bainbridge Island Public Library, 1270 Madison North, BI, WA 98110.
Please sign the online Guest Book for the family at: www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.
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