March 15, 1926 - November 7, 2020
Anna Bruni Benson passed peacefully at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles in the early hours of 7th November. Her loving care-givers and her two cats were by her side. She was 94 years old.
Originally from Venice Italy, in 1950 she attended the University of Venice/Inst. Univ. Ca Foscari, graduating with a Doctorate degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures. After moving to Los Angeles, she enrolled at UCLA in 1958 where she received a Masters Degree in Italian over three semesters, including the thesis, and a Ph.D in Italian, French and Spanish Languages and Literatures with a Major in Theater. In 1968 she went on to become the Head of the Italian program at California State University, Northridge, for which she developed a Minor in Italian and Theater, staging seven plays in Italian with her students, including La Mandragola by Machiavelli and La Locandiera by the most famous Venetian playwright, Carlo Goldoni. She published two books in English on Italian desserts, 'La Dolce Cucina' (under the name, Anna Bruni Seldis) and 'Solo Dolci'. Also a book of poetry, 'I Cieli Per Noi Sono Tetto' in English and Italian. She self-published a short novel, 'The Lion and the Swastika', based on her childhood experiences in Venice during WW2, under her publishing moniker, Lion Press. Her last book 'The Italian Vegetable Garden Cookbook' was inspired by the vegetables she often grew in her own garden and a section of land behind her house which she had proudly named 'Anna's Farm.
In her personal life she married theater, film and television director John Brahm, whom she met when he was directing 'The Thief of Venice' in Venice, Italy. They married and she moved to Malibu, California and over several years had two children, Mara Lee and Carol (Sumishta). In 1960 John and Anna divorced. Anna and her daughters then moved to Laurel Canyon in the hills of Los Angeles.
Soon after, she met and married the LA Times Art Critic, Henry J. Seldis and in 1962 she gave birth to their son, Mark. Henry passed away in 1978.
Several years later she met and married Dr. Sidney W. Benson, scientific co-director of the USC Dornsife's Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute. They moved to Brentwood, Los Angeles and Anna continued to live there after Sidney passed in 2011.
She will always be lovingly remembered and missed profoundly.
Anna Bruni Benson is survived by her daughters Mara Lee and Sumishta, her son Mark, two grandchildren Chris and Mia and four great-grandchildren.
She will be cremated in Los Angeles and her ashes will be scattered in the ocean as well as her home town of Venice. Donations in Anna's name can be made to any of the three charities closest to her heart: Native American Children's FundMothers Against Drink DrivingWounded Paw Project
Anna Bruni Benson passed peacefully at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles in the early hours of 7th November. Her loving care-givers and her two cats were by her side. She was 94 years old.
Originally from Venice Italy, in 1950 she attended the University of Venice/Inst. Univ. Ca Foscari, graduating with a Doctorate degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures. After moving to Los Angeles, she enrolled at UCLA in 1958 where she received a Masters Degree in Italian over three semesters, including the thesis, and a Ph.D in Italian, French and Spanish Languages and Literatures with a Major in Theater. In 1968 she went on to become the Head of the Italian program at California State University, Northridge, for which she developed a Minor in Italian and Theater, staging seven plays in Italian with her students, including La Mandragola by Machiavelli and La Locandiera by the most famous Venetian playwright, Carlo Goldoni. She published two books in English on Italian desserts, 'La Dolce Cucina' (under the name, Anna Bruni Seldis) and 'Solo Dolci'. Also a book of poetry, 'I Cieli Per Noi Sono Tetto' in English and Italian. She self-published a short novel, 'The Lion and the Swastika', based on her childhood experiences in Venice during WW2, under her publishing moniker, Lion Press. Her last book 'The Italian Vegetable Garden Cookbook' was inspired by the vegetables she often grew in her own garden and a section of land behind her house which she had proudly named 'Anna's Farm.
In her personal life she married theater, film and television director John Brahm, whom she met when he was directing 'The Thief of Venice' in Venice, Italy. They married and she moved to Malibu, California and over several years had two children, Mara Lee and Carol (Sumishta). In 1960 John and Anna divorced. Anna and her daughters then moved to Laurel Canyon in the hills of Los Angeles.
Soon after, she met and married the LA Times Art Critic, Henry J. Seldis and in 1962 she gave birth to their son, Mark. Henry passed away in 1978.
Several years later she met and married Dr. Sidney W. Benson, scientific co-director of the USC Dornsife's Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute. They moved to Brentwood, Los Angeles and Anna continued to live there after Sidney passed in 2011.
She will always be lovingly remembered and missed profoundly.
Anna Bruni Benson is survived by her daughters Mara Lee and Sumishta, her son Mark, two grandchildren Chris and Mia and four great-grandchildren.
She will be cremated in Los Angeles and her ashes will be scattered in the ocean as well as her home town of Venice. Donations in Anna's name can be made to any of the three charities closest to her heart: Native American Children's FundMothers Against Drink DrivingWounded Paw Project
March 15, 1926 - November 7, 2020
Anna Bruni Benson passed peacefully at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles in the early hours of 7th November. Her loving care-givers and her two cats were by her side. She was 94 years old.
Originally from Venice Italy, in 1950 she attended the University of Venice/Inst. Univ. Ca Foscari, graduating with a Doctorate degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures. After moving to Los Angeles, she enrolled at UCLA in 1958 where she received a Masters Degree in Italian over three semesters, including the thesis, and a Ph.D in Italian, French and Spanish Languages and Literatures with a Major in Theater. In 1968 she went on to become the Head of the Italian program at California State University, Northridge, for which she developed a Minor in Italian and Theater, staging seven plays in Italian with her students, including La Mandragola by Machiavelli and La Locandiera by the most famous Venetian playwright, Carlo Goldoni. She published two books in English on Italian desserts, 'La Dolce Cucina' (under the name, Anna Bruni Seldis) and 'Solo Dolci'. Also a book of poetry, 'I Cieli Per Noi Sono Tetto' in English and Italian. She self-published a short novel, 'The Lion and the Swastika', based on her childhood experiences in Venice during WW2, under her publishing moniker, Lion Press. Her last book 'The Italian Vegetable Garden Cookbook' was inspired by the vegetables she often grew in her own garden and a section of land behind her house which she had proudly named 'Anna's Farm.
In her personal life she married theater, film and television director John Brahm, whom she met when he was directing 'The Thief of Venice' in Venice, Italy. They married and she moved to Malibu, California and over several years had two children, Mara Lee and Carol (Sumishta). In 1960 John and Anna divorced. Anna and her daughters then moved to Laurel Canyon in the hills of Los Angeles.
Soon after, she met and married the LA Times Art Critic, Henry J. Seldis and in 1962 she gave birth to their son, Mark. Henry passed away in 1978.
Several years later she met and married Dr. Sidney W. Benson, scientific co-director of the USC Dornsife's Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute. They moved to Brentwood, Los Angeles and Anna continued to live there after Sidney passed in 2011.
She will always be lovingly remembered and missed profoundly.
Anna Bruni Benson is survived by her daughters Mara Lee and Sumishta, her son Mark, two grandchildren Chris and Mia and four great-grandchildren.
She will be cremated in Los Angeles and her ashes will be scattered in the ocean as well as her home town of Venice. Donations in Anna's name can be made to any of the three charities closest to her heart: Native American Children's FundMothers Against Drink DrivingWounded Paw Project
Anna Bruni Benson passed peacefully at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles in the early hours of 7th November. Her loving care-givers and her two cats were by her side. She was 94 years old.
Originally from Venice Italy, in 1950 she attended the University of Venice/Inst. Univ. Ca Foscari, graduating with a Doctorate degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures. After moving to Los Angeles, she enrolled at UCLA in 1958 where she received a Masters Degree in Italian over three semesters, including the thesis, and a Ph.D in Italian, French and Spanish Languages and Literatures with a Major in Theater. In 1968 she went on to become the Head of the Italian program at California State University, Northridge, for which she developed a Minor in Italian and Theater, staging seven plays in Italian with her students, including La Mandragola by Machiavelli and La Locandiera by the most famous Venetian playwright, Carlo Goldoni. She published two books in English on Italian desserts, 'La Dolce Cucina' (under the name, Anna Bruni Seldis) and 'Solo Dolci'. Also a book of poetry, 'I Cieli Per Noi Sono Tetto' in English and Italian. She self-published a short novel, 'The Lion and the Swastika', based on her childhood experiences in Venice during WW2, under her publishing moniker, Lion Press. Her last book 'The Italian Vegetable Garden Cookbook' was inspired by the vegetables she often grew in her own garden and a section of land behind her house which she had proudly named 'Anna's Farm.
In her personal life she married theater, film and television director John Brahm, whom she met when he was directing 'The Thief of Venice' in Venice, Italy. They married and she moved to Malibu, California and over several years had two children, Mara Lee and Carol (Sumishta). In 1960 John and Anna divorced. Anna and her daughters then moved to Laurel Canyon in the hills of Los Angeles.
Soon after, she met and married the LA Times Art Critic, Henry J. Seldis and in 1962 she gave birth to their son, Mark. Henry passed away in 1978.
Several years later she met and married Dr. Sidney W. Benson, scientific co-director of the USC Dornsife's Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute. They moved to Brentwood, Los Angeles and Anna continued to live there after Sidney passed in 2011.
She will always be lovingly remembered and missed profoundly.
Anna Bruni Benson is survived by her daughters Mara Lee and Sumishta, her son Mark, two grandchildren Chris and Mia and four great-grandchildren.
She will be cremated in Los Angeles and her ashes will be scattered in the ocean as well as her home town of Venice. Donations in Anna's name can be made to any of the three charities closest to her heart: Native American Children's FundMothers Against Drink DrivingWounded Paw Project
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