Benjamin Charles Strehlow

Funeral services for Benjamin Charles "Ben" Strehlow, 24, of Bismarck, ND, formerly of Reeder, ND, will be Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. at the Reeder Community Center (Reeder School Gym) with Rev. Stephanie Swanson, officiating. Burial with Full Military Honors afforded by the North Dakota National Guard Color Squad will follow at the Rose Hill Cemetery near Reeder. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, October 19 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger, ND and one hour prior to the funeral on Saturday afternoon in Reeder. A family service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home in Hettinger. BENJAMIN CHARLES 'Ben' STREHLOW was born on January 27, 1983 at St. Paul, MN to Delmar and Anastasia 'Anne' (Falbo) Strehlow. Ben grew up in St. Paul until his family moved to Reeder, ND when he was nine years old. He lived on a farm and ranch with his parents and three younger siblings, Anastasia 'A.J.', Del and Sam. Ben helped with the farming and ranching with his parents while he was growing up. He was a good son and big brother to his younger siblings. He graduated from Hettinger High School in 2001. Ben loved to hunt and be outdoors and enjoyed playing basketball. During his high school years, when he was old enough, Ben enlisted with the North Dakota National Guard. He was proud to serve his country and did so very honorably during Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 141st National Guard Unit in Iraq. Ben was preparing to re-deploy with the 191st back to Iraq for a second tour. While serving with the Guard, he also attended two years of college at Lake Region College studying Criminal Justice and later graduated from Minot State University in May of 2007, earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. He was employed as a Correctional Officer at the State Penitentiary in Bismarck, ND with aspirations of becoming a North Dakota Highway Patrolman upon his return from his second deployment to Iraq. Ben was a very special son, a good friend to many and a proud soldier who will be missed by all who knew him. Ben died due to injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision near Richardton, ND on October 6, 2007. Most grateful for having been a part of his life are his parents, Delmar and Anne Strehlow and his two sisters, A.J., of Bismarck, ND and Sam, of Hettinger, ND, one special nephew, Jaxon Raba; his grandfather, Herman Strehlow, Hettinger, ND and his maternal grandparents, Jim and Jo Falbo, Maplewood, MN and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. Ben was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, Sally Strehlow and his younger brother, Del Strehlow and an aunt, Judy Johnson.