JOANNOU, JR. BENJAMIN Passed away unexpectedly in the early morning hours of February 14th, 2019 at the age of 60. He was the essence of health, vitality, and youth, and his optimism, steadfastness, and quiet faith made him the bedrock of all of the communities he led. He loved and was loved by all whom he encountered. The intersections of Ben's many communities and responsibilities were not by accident. A wonderful husband and father, he also came from a large family, and he persistently prioritized his family over all else. From nurturing his four younger sisters since an early age to stewarding a family business legacy dating back to the 1940s while always cultivating his entrepreneurial mind and helping his family's enterprises grow, he was the uniter who bridged gaps of personality and strategy. With the support of his family for whom he served as bedrock, he never ceased chasing his passion for the natural environment and for sheer, unadulterated fun, though his adventurous spirit was always tempered by common sense. An avid snow and water skier, cyclist, diver, runner, weight lifter, and swimmer, he integrated his love for sport with his love for the natural environment. His passion for preserving that environment, too, only grew as he bore witness to its desecration. Only days before his untimely death, his last adventure was diving with sharks in a Bahamian reef. He is survived by his wife Gloria, sons Eric and Matthew, his mother Harriet, his father Ben, his sisters Harriet (Philip), Crystal (Ronald), Lisa, and Rachel, five nephews, one niece, and two great-nieces. His funeral will be held in celebration on Wednesday, February 20th at 11:00AM at St. Thomas Episcopal Parish (5690 North Kendall Drive in Coral Gables). In lieu of flowers or gifts, his family encourages you to make a Memorial Gift in his name to The Nature Conservancy (http://nature.org) which matched his passion for the conservation of land, water, flora, and fauna.