Leslie Hildebrandt Benyo

lesliebenyo@gmail.com

19205 Gainsborough / Detroit MI

Spouse: John Benyo

Children:  Addison / Ashton / Triston.
Stepchildren of 49 years: Kevin / Ken / Kelly
Stepchildren as of 2018: Laura / Julie

Education: Associates Degree in Dental Hygiene / Grade VI Cecchetti Dance Certification

Bio: Married Gerald O'Day 1971. In 1972 Kevin,age 10, came to live with us. Danced in Denmark in the summer of 1975, In 1976 Moved to Kalamazoo to become a Hygienist, (KVCC) and danced with Western's Dance Company. Graduated in 1978 and moved to Troy, MI and began working as a Hygienist. In 1979 Kevin Graduated HS and moved to NYC to seek a professional career in dance. Also in 1979 Addison was born. In 1982 Gerald and I opened O'Day School of Dance in Detroit. In 1986 we moved to the neighborhood of North Rosedale Park, in Detroit where we had our next 2 children, Ashton and Triston. Our 3 children attended Our Shepherd Lutheran School. Together we put on 24 years of recitals and Nutcracker performances and launched many students into a career of dance. In 2006 Gerald died of a massive heart attack while we were on our way to deliver our youngest, Triston to the Boston Ballet School. I also lost my mom that same year to dementia. 

In 2007 I met John Benyo and we married in 2008. We've had a wonderfully full life together these past 12 years. We went to South America for our honeymoon. Iguaza Falls was a big highlight there. Later that same year we went to the Dominican Republic for Addison and Raphaela's wedding. In 2010 traveled to Italy and Greece with several of Ashton's graduating classmates. Ashton graduated from University of Northwestern Ohio. In 2012 we took John's daughter, Julie, to France to celebrate her graduation from Wayne State. In 2014 We traveled to Mannheim, Germany to visit Kevin and family with whom I have remained close. He has 2 daughters. Ayla(21) lives in NC and Charlotte (13) Germany. In 2016 John and I went on the Royal Caribbean Cruise to Alaska. Fantastic! Since then it's been back and forth to see Addison and family as he went to school in St Louis, then moved to NJ and now settled in FL.
Shifting to Grandchildren: Charlize, daughter of Addison and Raphaela was born in 2009. Addison is a Chiropractor and they live in Orlando, FL as of July of 2018. Visiting there is always fun!

Ashton married Channing in 2014 and in 2015 Bennett was born followed by Victoria in 2018. They live in West Bloomfield and under normal circumstances we have them at our house once a week.

Triston graduated from Schoolcraft Community College as a welder. He is presently a journeyman's apprentice as an Iron Worker. He is single and bought a house in 2019 not far from where we live. He spent many years training to be a dancer and still does local performances, most commonly in the Nutcracker.

John and I have been taking ballroom dance lessons from our fellow class mate Fernando! He was our source to the Alaskan Cruise. He has been doing dance cruises for years! He is a wonderful teacher and we have such fun.

My photos: