Benton Henkel

Benton Kirkby Henkel (February 23, 1967 - June 30, 2014)

Ben Henkel, age 47, passed away peacefully on June 30, 2014 at home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Ben was surrounded by his immediate family members, including his mother and father, Sally and Oliver "Pudge", and his brothers, Peter and David. Ben faced a six week battle against pancreatic and liver cancer with enormous courage and boundless grace.

Ben entered Hawken School in the 4th grade where he remained until his high school graduation in 1985. At Hawken, Ben excelled on the athletic fields where much of his character was forged. He was elected captain of both the football and baseball teams. Playing quarterback and safety in football and shortstop and pitcher in baseball, Ben was a natural athlete and leader whose play was characterized by toughness, grit and determination. Ben loved to compete, was a selfless teammate and rose to the occasion to meet every challenge on the playing fields. Throughout his many years at Hawken, Ben's charisma, easy-going manner and abundant charm earned him many friends and admirers.

During his teenage years, Ben pursued his passion for the outdoors which laid the foundation for his lifelong interest in environmentalism and preservation. At Keewaydin, a canoe tripping camp in northern Ontario, Canada, Ben developed a love for the wilderness and the camaraderie and freedom of weeks-long canoe trips in the pristine beauty of Canada's lakes, rivers and woods. At Keewaydin, Ben loved the challenge of the rigors of paddling and portaging several miles a day for weeks on end, the self-reliance and teamwork required to survive far from the comforts of civilization, and the unstructured rhythms of life in the wilderness. The culmination of Ben's Keewaydin summer experiences was a two month canoe trip to the Hudson Bay, a significant and defining physical and mental achievement.

Following a post-grad year at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, Ben matriculated to Georgetown University. During his two years at Georgetown, Ben played both baseball (pitcher) and football (safety). In addition, Ben made strong friendships with classmates across various walks of the university's life.

For several years after leaving Georgetown, Ben set out to experience life on the road. His travels took him to a variety of locations including Vail, Cheyenne, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Guaymas, Mexico. In many respects, Ben's experiences during his travels mirrored those aspects he enjoyed most about his summers at Keewaydin. Throughout his life, the places Ben loved the most were ones where he felt free from boundaries. A constant among these places was John's Island in Vero Beach, Florida where Ben and his family vacationed every year for over 40 years. Riding the waves in the Atlantic Ocean off of John's Island's beaches epitomized for Ben the rush of adventure and the freedom of movement, experiences which suffused his spirit.

In adult life, Ben continued to tackle new challenges and to pursue his varied interests. Demonstrating his powerful athletic abilities and unbending determination, Ben trained for and completed two marathons, the CVS Marathon in Cleveland and the New York City Marathon. Also, Ben took his substantial performance skills to the stage where he played Macbeth in the CSU Factory Theatre production of "Masque Gallini".

Following graduation from Cleveland State University where he received a B.A. in Religious Studies, Ben pursued a career in social services. Ben possessed an inherent empathy for people. He was a kind and gentle soul who related to others in the deepest of human places. Ben was entirely genuine and offered no pretenses. He was who he was, and he accepted others for who they were. These enviable character traits made his career choices, premised on helping others, logical and successful. Among his professional pursuits, Ben worked as a Recreation Coordinator at the Cosgrove Center, an Outreach Coordinator at the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland, and in Patient Services at the Cleveland Clinic.

Ben was passionate. He loved the Cleveland Browns, Indians and Cavaliers; and, as a season ticket holder, Ben made Saturday pilgrimages with friends and family during the fall to the Horseshoe in Columbus to watch his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes football team. In addition, Ben loved music. In particular, he was a lifelong fan of Bruce Springsteen and attended several concerts with his brothers over the years. Ben and his brothers often sang Bruce Springsteen songs together with great gusto and with Ben the only one managing to sing on key. Ben loved politics too. He was a devoted student of issues which he understood on complex levels, and his strongly-held political views were shaped and guided by his core sense of fairness and equity.

Ben's true joy in life, though, was his family. As he often noted, he was never happier than when spending time with his mother and father and his two siblings and their families. Ben was a cherished son, brother and uncle. He gave the gift of love to his family unconditionally and with no strings attached. With his mom and dad, Ben was a supportive companion of great intellectual and emotional depth; with his two brothers, Ben was the most loyal friend and fan, cheering on all their accomplishments; and with his six nieces and nephews, Uncle Ben reveled in any activity of the moment, from throwing a football, to reading a book, to building a sand castle, to singing a song, to any form of friendly competition. Ben made his eternal mark and left a loving legacy as a devoted family member who understood the value of familial relationships and responsibilities. He made each of his family members better people and more whole with his love. As Ben said, that's what family is for.

Benton Kirkby Henkel is survived by his parents, Sally and Oliver "Pudge"; his brothers, Peter and David; his sisters-in-law, Eleni and Lisa; and his nieces and nephews, Matthew, Lexi, Nicky, Jake, Brooke and Hayes.

In lieu of flowers, it is the family's wish that memorial contributions be made to Cleveland Clinic Hospice at Home, P.O. Box 931517, Cleveland, OH, 44193-1655.

A Memorial Service will be held at 4pm on Saturday, November 8 at Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118. Interment, Lake View Cemetery.


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