Nina Benjamin

Nina Lynette Benjamin passed away on Thursday morning, April 13, 2023. She rests… awaiting her reward of life everlasting on a paradise earth as Jehovah God had originally planned.

Nina was born in Louisville, KY on November 1, 1965 to Otis Catchings and Annette Story. She was the baby girl of six. Her life really began on June 26, 1983 when she symbolized her dedication and was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. For the next nearly forty years, her daily decisions centered around and supported her life as a minister of the good news. With this personal ministry in mind, she fell in love with a man who shared this common bond. And on May 9, 1992, Nina married her beloved “Benjamin”, as she fondly referred to her husband, James Benjamin. A life of full-time service was theirs whether Nina was actively serving as a Regular Pioneer or supporting her husband as one.

Nina was ambitious in the best sense of the word. She endeavored to excel at everything that she put her mind to. She was allergic to the word ‘mediocre’ and everything that it stands for. She was like the faithful slave of Matthew 25:14-30 who sought to double his master’s holdings. Through hard work and dedication, Nina sought to enrich everyone and everything that she touched. In the ministry, she made disciples. She directly aided three individuals to grow to love and dedicate their lives to her God Jehovah. And she was a ‘helping hand’ in the dedication of so, so many more. If you told Nina that she could visit you to talk about the bible, she would faithfully return and even arrive a bit earlier than agreed upon. Her Yes meant YES. She carried that same industrious spirit to her time in Kingdom Hall Construction- Food Service Department. In her secular life, she was a manager’s dream because she quickly increased the value of whatever company was supporting her ministry at the time. Whether it was Pizza Hut in Louisville, KY, Olan Mills Photography (Kmart) on Westheimer Blvd, HISD, HCTRA, Alvin ISD or any of her other jobs, Nina bore the reputation of a great employee, a true company asset, all to Jehovah’s praise- Col 3:23. She even asked to have an audience before a group of company directors and created a job position ‘for herself’ where there was not one. Nina was no stranger to hard work.

Nina was attentive to the needs of others. She especially loved helping older ones and small children. Nina was extremely hospitable, often hosting events at their resident club house. Nina was very dependable.

She was preceded in death by her father, Otis Catchings, and her brother, Thomas Story. She is survived by her husband of nearly 31 years, James Benjamin of Houston, TX, her mother, Annette Story, siblings: Orick Story, Sigrid Story, Kimberly Ward (Joel) and Mariam Madry, all of Louisville, KY and Otis Story (Dorothy) of San Diego, CA - and Janice Cash, many nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, special friends, spiritual family, and coworkers.

For those of us who had the pleasure of knowing Nina, although presently saddened, we rest assured that she made friends with the One who has the power to restore her life- John 17:3. She was Jehovah's friend. And if we know nothing else about Him, we know that Jehovah is the very embodiment of LOYALTY. He will not allow his friends to remain asleep in the grave. "He will call and she will answer." With this we draw comfort until we are reunited with our dear Nina once again.