Bennett “Ben” Millstein of Bloomfield, 88, passed away surrounded by his loving family on May 13, 2017. He was raised in Hartford, the son of the late Gary and Sadie (Bycel) Millstein. He graduated from Hartford High and was an all-state football player. Ben entered the Navy during the Korean War as a typist and was a boxing champion. Following his honorable discharge, he worked several years for Fuller Brush. Ben and his two brothers, Sam and Jerry, founded Town and Country Home Improvement. The brothers later ventured into real estate development. He recently retired as a Special Deputy Sheriff and as Vice Chair of the State Properties Review Board, a position that brought him great pride. Ben was an active member of the Democratic Party for over 50 years, serving as Democratic Town Chairman of Bloomfield for 26 years and as a mentor to many local politicians. He was a delegate at the Democratic National Convention for the presidential campaign of Senator Edward Kennedy and was a delegate/whip for President Clinton’s campaign. Ben was a past president of the Bloomfield Rotary Club and a member of both Beth Hillel Synagogue and the Jewish War Veterans. Ben had a wonderful sense of humor and charismatic personality. No matter where he went, there always seemed to be someone who would stop him to have a conversation. Ben was a huge fan of UConn Women’s basketball. He was an excellent dancer who enjoyed opera and Broadway show tunes. Ben loved to travel and would often talk about his trips to Italy and the Caribbean islands. He was a fantastic gin rummy player and enjoyed his trips to the casino. Ben was predeceased by his beloved wife of 49 years, Janice (Ephraim) Millstein, his sister Evelyn, and brothers Sam and Jerry. He is survived by three daughters of whom he was very proud: Paula and her husband, Dr. Kenneth Fink, of West Hartford, Brenda and her husband, Michael Newman, of Bloomfield and Susan and her husband, Vincent Briganti, of West Hartford; his sister-in-law, Lois Glasser and her husband, Norman and sister-in-law, Elena “Lee” Millstein; his six grandchildren: Stephen Wexler and his wife Maya, Jeffrey Fink and his wife Amanda, Allison Meyers and her husband Matthew, Melissa Newman, and Matthew and Rachel Briganti; and his three great-grandchildren: Alexandra and Margaret Meyers and Alden Wexler, as well as many loving nieces and nephews. Ben also leaves behind his special companion of 17 years, Roni Berson. The family wishes to acknowledge the compassionate care Ben received while living at Brookdale West Hartford and Brookdale Chatfield. Funeral services will be held in the Chapel of the Weinstein Mortuary, 640 Farmington Ave., Hartford, CT on Monday, May 15 at 10:30am with Rabbi Philip Lazowski officiating. Interment will follow in the Beth Hillel Synagogue Cemetery, 100 Wolcott Road, East Granby, CT. Shiva will be held following the funeral at the home of Paula Fink at 27 Longlane Rd, West Hartford, CT, and on Tuesday, May 16 from 6pm – 9pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. For further information, directions or to share memories of Ben, please visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com.