Susanna Kirchberg
Susanna (Suzy) Marie Kirchberg de Alvarado died in her Rutersville, Texas home on May 3 at the age of 50.
Kirchberg was born to Marie and William Kirchberg February 3, 1968 in Burlington, Vermont. She attended Mount Mansfield Union High School in Jericho, Vermont before developing an early case of wanderlust, traveling in both the United States and Europe from the age of 16.
Her early interests were travel, literature, antiques and animals. In the late 1980s, Kirchberg owned and operated Roberto’s Patio and Cantina in Key West Florida with her husband Roberto Alvarado.
The Alvarados relocated to Guadalajara in the early 1990s, at first opening a restaurant in the Providencia neighborhood, before operating an antiques store. The couple then began publishing El AntiQuario, a bilingual magazine distributed on both sides of the border, specializing in Mexican folk art and antiquities. They also put out a monthly shopper, Zona Rosa, focusing on the Ladron de Guevara and Americana colonias in Guadalajara.
At the same time, the couple attended Texas Antiques Week, held twice yearly in the Warrenton-Round Top area, importing Mexican collectibles. In 2000, recognizing the growth of the event and identifying the need for shoppers to reference a guide and maps, they published Show Daily Magazine, a periodical now coined by Texas Monthly as the “bible” of the show.
Kirchberg’s sense of look, color and style were the trademarks that left a indelible influence with the longtime readers of Show Daily. A tireless editor, her design was such that both display advertising and crisp editorial elevated the publication into much more than simply an advertising vehicle. “Educate, entertain and inform” could have been her mantra. Known for generously giving people her time and immersing herself in her profession, Kirchberg was a stalwart for the community, especially in times of need.
As well as their home in Rutersville, the Alvarados kept an apartment on Avenida Chapultepec and spent as much time in Guadalajara as their business in Texas allowed. Kirchberg was known as a vivacious host among the city’s antiques and arts community.
She is survived by husband Roberto of Rutersville and Guadalajara, mother Marie and younger sister Lisa Stephanie in Vermont. She was pre-deceased by her father, William.
Alan Bensman
Alan Bensman died on May 17, surrounded by his family at his residence in Ajijic.
Born September 14, 1937, Bensman loved life and everyone he met. He brought his enthusiasm to his career as a PM&R physician at Abbott and Methodist Hospitals and in his practice at the Minnesota Center for Health and Rehabilitation.
Bensman oriented his life around caring for others, the community and the planet. Bensman served on several boards including the Leland Johnson Foundation and Midwest Health Center for Women, Bet Shalom and Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation, and was a proud member of Rotary International.
Bensman took great joy in his family. He leaves behind his wife of 59 years, Carol (nee Goodman), his children David, Rick and Sara, daughter-in-law Jacqueline, ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and his sister, Diane Weisberg, as well as a multitude of extended family and friends.
The funeral took place in Mexico. Donations may be made to the cause of one’s choice in his honor.