Ben's Obituary

Well, I think this is it except i still need to put in Peter and Glenda's ages. I also need the name of the town where Bonnie lives. Please let me know if there is anything more I need to put in, or to take out. Thank you. Illa


Obituary and Funeral Notice of
Benjamin Gordon Garcia (1952-2008)

In Loving Memory of Benjamin Gordon Garcia, born April 30th, 1952 who crossed over into his Father’s Loving Care on December 1, 2008.

Ben was born of 4-30-1952 in San Francisco, California to Benjamin Gordon Pedro Chavez Garcia & Glenna O’Brien Garcia. When Ben was approximately 2 ½ years old, and his parents were no longer able to care for him and his siblings, his family was split apart and the children taken in and adopted by different families. Ben was taken in by Wayne Kenneth & Elizabeth Ross of Redding, California and renamed Benjamin Kenneth Ross.

Ben joined the Army at the age of 17 in July 1969 after the passing of his adopted brother Joseph Wayne Ross and finding out that the adoption had not been completed where upon he resumed his birth name of Garcia. He served in the Army from July 1969 to February 1972 and served in Okinawa and Vietnam, achieving the highest rank of Sergeant. Ben achieved the “Excellent Marksmanship” Medal and served in the 82nd Engineers and 101st Airborne Units. He was shot in the right leg while on a mission in Vietnam. He was Court Martialed twice for in-subordination regarding the in-justices done to several of his fellow soldiers and his practice of trying to correct those issues, where he earned the nickname of “Blue”. He left the service with the rank of PFC-Sp 4 with an Honorable Discharge.

After leaving the service he rode around the country on a motorcycle finally ending up in Portland Oregon and starting work with Portland Security in 1973. He met his wife of 34 years on a blind date in April of 1974. They were married May 18th, 1975 in Redding, California on the ranch where he grew up. Ben left Portland in July 1975 and moved his new family to Redding where he started College at Shasta College earning an AA in Criminal Justice in 1978. He worked Security for Shasta College while going to school leaving with the Rank of Lieutenant. After graduating he worked for different Security Companies like North State Security (now Nor-Cal Security), and Western Intelligence at different stores like Pay-N-Save, Safeway, and J.C. Penny’s as well as joining Anderson Police Department from 1978-1982. On January 18, 1982, Ben was hired by California Department of Corrections and worked at California Correctional Center of Susanville, California. In March of 1983 Ben transferred to a Fire Camp, Intermountain Camp #22 at Bieber, California. Ben retired from this Fire Camp October 1, 2006 as a Correctional Officer and a Job Steward of the Northern Camps Division after 24.75 years of service to the Department.

Ben was diagnosed with Colon Cancer May 31st of 2005. Ben had planned to retire after 30 years but I guess God had other ideas. Ben decided to go ahead and retire after being told that the cancer had returned and had spread and that he would have to be on Chemotherapy for the rest of his life. He felt it would not be fair to his Co-worker’s and friends to put their lives in jeopardy if there should come a time when he was unable to respond to a situation.

Ben was so happy and pleased when approximately 10-12 years ago that his siblings started trying to re-connect. It was great to watch this family that had been ripped apart, grow together and learn about each other as brothers and sister and come together at this last stage instead of growing up together and then drifting apart as they all grew older and had other family commitments which took their time.

Ben went into the hospital on August 13th, 2008 with a blocked colon and survived 2 surgeries. I brought him home on November 4th, 2008 after the Doctors told us that they would not do the final re-connection surgery or remove the tumor that caused the blockage as neither one would increase his survival chances.

Ben did get his wish of “One Last Trip” to see the ocean and his family “out of the hospital setting”. He did get to talk one last time on the phone to his adopted sister, Nancy Tikker and see his nephew “Little Joe” Joseph Wayne Ross. He received his most important wish and that was to spend what time he had left, to live and to die peacefully at home. He left this earth quietly at 3 pm on a cold but sunny day. His wife, children, brothers, sisters and extended family will sorely miss him.

Ben is survived by his wife of 34 years, Illa Louise Blomgren Garcia, Bieber, Ca. born 1954 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado; his daughter, Teresa Louise Huddleston-Garcia, Weed, Ca. born March 16,1980 in Redding, Ca. (and her husband Adam Huddleston); his son, Benjamin Joseph Garcia, Mc Cloud, Ca., born July 29,1983 in Fall River Mills, Ca. (and his wife April Buckley).

Ben also has 9 brothers and sisters; Peter Whitney Rouzaud, Dallas, Ore. (and his wife Karen) ; Glenda Ferrar, San Francisco, Ca.; Bonnie Lange age 58 (and her husband Rick), Johnsbough, Tennessee; Twin sister’s: Alilia Joy Nelson-Lange (Lilisa Felicia Garcia), and her husband Jess) St. Helens, Ore.; Alisia (Alicia) Jo Lange-Davis (Alicia Therese Garcia) age 57, Portland, Ore.; Suzanne Barbara Lange (Susan Barbara Garcia) age 54 (and her husband Darryl Pace) adopted by Emil William Lange & June Ermilia Hooper-Lange), Eugene, Ore.; Charles A. (Chuck) Hooper age 55, Sacramento, Ca.; James (Jim) Hooper age 53, (and his wife Sandi) adopted by Peter & Helen Hooper, Crescent City, Ca.; Richard Lee (Dick) Garcia age 52, Beaverton, Ore.; and adopted sister, Nancy Tikker, Napa, Ca.

He is also survived by grandchildren, Athena Japhia Huddleston-Garcia; Merlin Orion Huddleston; and Step-grandchildren Samantha Buckley and Elizabeth Buckley.

Ben left a host of nieces and nephews and cousins who will miss him and his odd sense of humor. Some of these are Joseph Wayne Ross (Father, Joseph Wayne Ross); Teisha Ferrar, Julie Ferrar, Whitney Ferrar, Lydia Ferrar (Mother, Glenda Ferrar); Lueria Davis Miller (Mother, Alicia Davis); Peter Rouzaud, Nathan Rouzaud (Father, Peter Rouzaud); Richardo Schell, Judith Schell, Michael Schell, Kara Schell (Mother, Suzanne Lange); Randy Hooper, Andrew Hooper (Father, Jim Hooper); Janey Tikker, Blair Tikker, Stacy Tikker, Clay Tikker (Mother Nancy Tikker).

Ben was preceded in passing by his parents Benjamin & Glenna Garcia, adopted parents Wayne & Elizabeth Ross and his adopted brother Joseph Wayne Ross.

There will be a Celebration of Life Service at the Seventh Day Adventist church in Fall River Mills, Ca. on December 20th, 2008 at 2 pm. There will be a Potluck afterwards. There will also be a Private Family Ceremony at a later date.