Benjamin H Stahl

Benjamin “Ben” Hubbard Stahl, 95, of Lynchburg died Thursday, December 31, 2015. He was the loving husband of the late June Decker.

The son of the late John and Mabel Stahl, he was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., March 4, 1920, and raised in Bogota, N.J. He attended Botoga Public School and graduated from Bogota  High School in 1937. He graduated from Penn State University in 1942, earning a Bachelor’s Degree of Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was commissioned as 2nd Lt. in the Corps. of Engineers. During his college years, he was a team member of the N.J. Civilian rifle team, competing in the National Rifle matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, using the service rifle during the years 1938 and 1939. During his college years he also took ROTC at Penn State and served on the gym team as captain in 1941, and rifle team as co-captain in 1940 and 1941, and co-captain at All American Shooter College as well in 1941.

In 1942, he married the love of his life, June Decker in Factoryville, Pa. He continued serving in the military as a Lieutenant in WWII from 1942 to 1946 in the U.S., Europe, and the Pacific Theatres.

Upon separation from the army and a brief stint on his father-in-law’s farm, he joined Wright Aeronautical as an engineer, working on aircraft reciprocating and turbo jet engines from 1947 to 1967. During this time, he obtained his pilot’s license for general aviation aircraft and gliders. He and his wife flew across the United States together twice. From there he went to Westinghouse Electric, where he worked on the Nerva Nuclear Rocket Engine Program for space applications. When the program was canceled in 1970, he went on to work for Westinghouse Water Reactors Division, and worked on commercial power reactors. In 1972, he took a job with Babcock and Wilcox Commercial Reactors Division in Lynchburg, Va. Upon his retirement in 1985 at age 65, he and his wife continued to live together in Lynchburg. Ben and June were members of Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

While working at Babcock and Wilcox, he was an active vegetable gardener and worked as a volunteer with his Master Gardener wife on community projects sponsored by the Virginia Tech Extension office in Lynchburg. In 1998 he became a Cooperative Weather Observer for the U.S. National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va., making daily weather observations and reporting them to Blacksburg.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by his daughter, Marjory Bell, in 1987.

Surviving are his daughter, Mary Lou; two granddaughters, Nancy (Lyn) Gameson and Sharon (Marc) Richter; five great-grandchildren, Victoria, Margaret, Abigail, Joshua Richter and Ceri Gameson. He also leaves behind many dear neighbors and friends in the Lynchburg area and the many places he and his wife lived before coming to Lynchburg in 1973.

A memorial service will be held to honor Ben’s life at Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 2 p.m. with the Reverend Ron Cox officiating. Visitation will follow in the Cheatham Reception Center.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions to the Rivermont Evangelical Church Building Fund, 2424 Rivermont Ave, Lynchburg, Va. 24503 or the charity of your choice.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.