Benjamine Lee

Mahmoud

Benjamine Lee Mahmoud, 73 of 6502 Summerfield Loop, New Port Richey Florida died at 4:45 a.m. Tuesday June 2, 2009 in New Port Richey.

Born October 6, 1935 in Charleston, WV he was the son of the late Benjamine & Ina Lee Lilly Mahmoud.

Mr. Mahmoud was a retired graduate school Professor of Art & Painting at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois. Painting was his most sucessful medium, attracting critical acclaim and commercial sucess, but he also worked in other media including print making, photography and sculpting. In 1972, he established an affiliation with the Sonia Zaks Gallery in Chicago that would last 30 years. He currently was affiliated the the Patricia Rosvar galleries in Washington. Mr. Mahmoud has exhibited his work at galleries and museums throughout the American Midwest, and also in Washington, Holland and Germany. His work has been added to over 25 permanent, public collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Brooklyn Museum. While residing in New Port Richey, his fascination with the surrounding flora influenced a growing collection of sculptures he called, The Florida Series.

Surviors include his wife, Pamala Hauschild Mahmoud. One son, Jeremy Knopow of Milwaukee, WI. Two daughters, Kassandre Newman of Cooksville, TN and Amanda Wolkowitz of Overland Park, KS. One brother, David Mahmoud of Maryland. Two grandchildren, Hannah & Samara Wolkowitz.

Graveside services & burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday June 6, 2009 at the Neely Family Cemetery on Surveyors Branch Road near Hinton. A procession will depart from Pivont Funeral Home at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.