Benjamin Stephens Richards, Jr

Benjamin Stephens Richards, Jr. died February 17, 2010, nine days before his 92nd birthday, and at his request was cremated. He was born February 26, 1918, in Hibbing, Minnesota, to Jessie D. and Benjamin S. Richards. His only sibling, Frances Mae, a nurse, was killed in a plane crash in Alaska in 1947.

Ben grew up in Ely, an iron mining town on the Canadian border of Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. With the discontinuance of the ASTP in the US Army in World War II, he spent two more years in the South Pacific theater before returning to the University where he was graduated with a degree in Metallurgical Engineering in 1947. He was employed as a salesman in the Explosives Division of the E. I. DuPont de Nemours Company and worked for them for 35 years. Following transfers and service in five different western states, he was named Division Sales Manager, Mountain West Division, and moved to Salt Lake City where he elected to stay until his retirement in 1982.

Ben met Evelyn during his training session at the explosives lab in New Jersey, and they were married on October 18, 1947. They enjoyed their 62 wedding anniversaries. He is also survived by Susan (James) Welna and daughters Jennifer and Rebecca; Sally (David) Stewart and daughter Anne; and B. Stephens Richards, MD (Denise) and children Adam (Maggie) and Caroline. Granddaughter Katie Richards predeceased him.

Golf was one of Ben's joys in life. He delighted in the Barracudas golf group at Hidden Valley Country Club, where he was a life member. He was a member of Wasatch Presbyterian Church and onetime member of AIME, Kiwanis, Saturday Night Dance Club, and Miners & Muckers Lunch Bunch, all retired mining friends. Following his retirement, Ben and Evelyn enjoyed travelling. Of all the trips, his favorite was devoted to golfing in Scotland.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the charity of your choice or Ben's favorite charity, The Salvation Army, 679 S. Main St., SLC, UT 84111 a