RALPH BENNETT "BEN" SAMUELSON

Ralph, or Ben as he was known to family and friends, passed away in Home Hospice on December 31st with family present. For several years he fought through various debilitating conditions with courage and grace, but at 91 he was unable to rally again after a recent hospitalization. Ben was born to young parents Cleo and Charles Bennett Samuelson in Traverse City, Michigan in the summer of 1927 and was their only child. His father preferred to go by his middle name and thus young Ralph soon became known as Ben, Jr. The Samuelson families living along the East Shore of Grand Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan were all involved in some form of the building/construction business and Ben followed in their footsteps. A popular and outstanding student, Ben graduated from Traverse City High School in 1945, having earned many awards throughout his school years. An avid sports enthusiast and fan, he played most sports, but excelled in Ice Hockey and Golf. He won 2 Traverse City Country Club championships and considered becoming a Golf professional at one time. Ben also enjoyed hunting, skeet shooting, fishing, sailing and skiing. He loved Michigan and the Michigan teams all his life, and rooted for the Detroit Tigers, Lions and Redwings and the University of Michigan Wolverines. In 1953 he met Bette Suman, who had moved to Traverse City from Chicago to attend Northwestern Michigan Junior College, and they quickly became a couple. In 1956, following Bette's graduation from Western Michigan University with a degree in Education, they became engaged and married the following December. They were blessed with 2 children, Mark in 1961 and Kristen in 1962. Bette left teaching to raise their children, while Ben worked for his Uncle Ralph's concrete business as Office Manager. Later, both of Ben's parents passed away in their 50's within 1-2 years of each other. Devastated, Ben felt he needed to make changes in his life. He decided to go back to school and become a history teacher. He had a strong love for his country, politics and history and wanted to share his knowledge with others. Ben had an amazing memory for facts and statistics and could quote verbatim, speeches made by his heroes, Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Winston Churchill. He left the building business and enrolled at Northwestern Michigan Junior College. After attaining his A.A. he decided he wanted to get his B.A. and teaching certificate "somewhere warm". Bette, who had gone back to teaching to finance Ben's education, began looking for places where teaching salaries were high and educational fees were low. Together they decided on sunny California. In January 1966, a teaching position in Fresno was offered to Bette and the young family made the cross-country trip to their new home. Now using his legal name, Ralph, he graduated magna cum laude from Fresno State in 1968 with a degree in Education. He went on to teach history, geography and civics for Fresno Unified at Yosemite Middle School, where he taught for 20 years, retiring in 1990. He became a member of the California Retired Teachers Association in Fresno. Some highlights of Ben's pre-retirement life included meeting his lifelong Golf idol, "Lord Byron" Nelson, at a Pebble Beach tournament and their subsequent correspondence. Byron's replies to Ben were framed and prominently displayed. In 1983 Ben and Bette toured London and the English countryside, Churchill's War Rooms, birthplace and burial site, then went on to visit Germany where son Mark was stationed during his Air Force career. That same year, a letter Ben wrote to MacArthur's widow, Jean, was sent to the General's memorial in Norfolk, VA by Mrs. MacArthur. In retirement, Ben enjoyed the company of his cats, playing golf, fishing, reading, watching T.V. and working crossword puzzles. He took delight in watching Kristen's daughters grow into beautiful young women and loved being a grandfather and spending time with family and friends. In 2005 he began having health problems which increased as he aged. The family wishes to thank all the doctors and nurses that helped him through these difficult years. During his last years he was lovingly cared for by his wife and his son, Mark, and by San Lorenzo Home Health and Saint Agnes Home Health and Hospice. His daughter, Kristen, and son-in-law, Jack, continued to assist Ben and Bette in many ways. Ben was a true gentleman and a great storyteller and writer with a wonderful sense of humor and engaging smile. When Ben was 14, an American Legion Post awarded him a medal and certificate stating he "possessed high qualities of character - Honor, Courage, Scholarship, Leadership and Service, which are necessary to the preservation and protection of the fundamental institutions of our government and the advancement of society." Ben spent his life with these qualities as his guide. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him and will forever be in their hearts. Ben was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents and many Michigan relatives. He is survived by Bette, his wife of 62 years, and son, Mark Samuelson of Fresno; daughter, Kristen Rodrick and husband Jack, granddaughter, Shera (Rodrick) Franzman and husband Taylor, and granddaughter, Mandi Rodrick of Clovis; his niece and "Birthday Buddy", Susan Guse' and husband Joseph, and great-niece, Jennifer Mazur and husband Matthew and their 3 children of Gaylord, Michigan. At Mr. Samuelson's request, no services will be held. A "Celebration of Life" occasion will be held for family and close friends at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Samuelson, who had loved and come to the rescue of animals throughout his life, would have appreciated gifts in his honor be made to the Valley Animal Center of Fresno or other animal rescue group of choice. Visit Legacy.com to leave condolences online.