The Andover Newton community was deeply saddened to learn of the recent death of alumnus Rev. Dr. Hector “Pastor Benny” Custodio (DMin ‘18).

For eleven months, Benny has been fought a rare form of brain cancer (rhabdomyosarcoma). After months of treatment, the doctor acknowledged that the treatment was working back in June and that tumor had shrunk to the point of declaring remission. Two weeks after his next set of follow-up exams, the doctor discovered cancer had spread to the other side of Benny’s brain and down to the lower back. Thus, having to start another series of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Pastor Benny passed away on November 11, 2022.

Dean Sarah Drummond said of Pastor Benny: “Benny earned a Doctor of Ministry from Andover Newton in 2018. I taught him in two courses and appreciated his passion for ministry, generosity of spirit, and warmth. He commuted to ANTS from Brooklyn, New York, so many of his courses were online… which he tolerated, but what he really loved was intensives that brought him together with colleagues of all backgrounds. His ministry has been cut tragically short, but he touched thousands during his life, and that’s a resurrection in real-time.”

The Andover Newton community mourns with Benny’s family, and we offer prayers of comfort and support for all those impacted by this loss.

We will be sharing Pastor Benny’s official obituary when it is published.