Alan Benjamin has died

I am shocked to read on Bill Goichberg's Chess News website that Alan Benjamin had died.

http://www.chesstour.com/alanb.html

I am also shocked that there has been no mention of this anywhere except on Bill's site. Alan Benjamin was certainly an important chess personality who merits a detailed obituary. He was the father of Grandmaster Joel Benjamin and he was longtime President of the New York State Chess Association.

Although I knew Alan Benjamin for more than 30 years, I did not know him well enough to write an obituary for him. Therefore, I plan to collect testimonials to him on this web site.

I have a special problem because, just before he died, Alan Benjamin signed my petitions to recall four members of the USCF Executive Board. In fact, he was the very first to sign. I was surprised to receive his signature in the mail, because in the past he has often been opposed to the various things I tried to do.

It is my policy not to reveal the names of anybody who signed my petition. This information will only become available if and when I receive the requisite 75 signatures and submit them.

However, since Alan Benjamin is deceased, I suppose there is nothing wrong with revealing that he signed my petition.

The question is: Is his signature still valid? He was delegate from New York State when he signed but he will no longer be a delegate when I submit the signatures, due to his being deceased.

What do you think is the answer to this question?

Sam Sloan

Here are links:

Sam Sloan's Chess Page

My Home Page

Contact address - please send e-mail to the following address: Sloan@ishipress.com