Joseph Bender

Joseph Bender passed away on November 19th, 2020. Joseph was born in Budapest, Hungary on Aug. 1st, 1942. Educated in classical music he became a professional bass player and founded the Hungarian rock band, ATLASZ. They developed such a reputation and fan base that they were allowed to travel beyond the border to perform gigs throughout Eastern Europe. It was during this time that Joseph began his art sales career. He would bring works of art across the border to sell and then buy other works to add to his growing collection. In the early 70s he took his family and escaped the Communist regime of Hungary. They settled down in Los Angeles where he raised his two daughters, Kinga and Reka after a divorce from his first wife. In the early 80s when the political situation allowed, he was able to go back to visit Hungary. He met Arianna but it took him ten years to convince her to marry him. First, they lived in Columbia, SC, where he established his art business, then they moved to Strasburg, Virginia, where Joseph opened an art and antiques mall and Arianna studied for her Medical boards. Arianna was offered an internship in El Paso and the two began a new chapter in their lives. Joseph became a fixture in the Arts community of El Paso where he was on the boards of both the El Paso Museum of Art and the El Paso Opera. He was a standout in his tuxedo at gallery openings and opera performances. Joseph Bender Art and Antiques promoted multiple El Paso artists such as Julie Ford Oliver, Tita Milan, Connie Dilworth, Earline Barnes and Mary Booth, among others. Retiring in 2012 after a bad accident that kept him increasingly homebound, Joseph nevertheless continued to be a generous and knowledgeable source for others in building their art and antique collections. A great chef, his Hungarian specialties were legendary. To enter his kitchen was to enter a frenzy of chopping and braising and a cloud of delicious aromas – but not during LA Kings games. He was an avid fan of the LA Kings hockey team continuing to follow them through out all his travels. He is survived by his loving wife, Arianna and two daughters Kinga and Reka and his grandson, James. In addition, Joseph and Arianna “adopted” two foreign students, Hieu from Vietnam and Yan from Malaysia who both were very close to him. Joseph will be missed by all those who knew and loved him. Services will be live streamed at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 3rd, 2020 by Sunset Funeral Home-West, 480 N. Resler Dr. Please visit the online registry at www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net Live Streaming Services: https://www.facebook.com/sunsetfuneralhome/