Benjamin H. Reid

Benjamin Henry Reid, Jr., age 87, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, passed away at St. Marys Hospital at Mayo Clinic on November 26, 2018 after a long struggle with heart disease. His children and grandchildren held his hands and surrounded him with prayers and loving memories during his last hours. Ben was born on May 8, 1931, in Rockville Center, New York to Benjamin and Veronica (Meagher) Reid. As the youngest of five children, he earned the nickname "Babe". He attended St. Mary's High School in Lynn, Massachusetts and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in English from Norwich University in 1953. He then accepted a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Korean War. He earned an Honorable Discharge from the Marines as a Captain in 1957 and served in the Marine Corps Reserves until 1963. Ben married Patricia Ann Sanders on June 26, 1954. After leaving the military Ben earned an MBA at Tuck School of Business-Dartmouth. He began his career in business and worked in marketing management until he commenced his journey as an entrepreneur with his creativity, leadership and passion for sales. This took him to Fort Smith, Arkansas where he developed a global business network. He continued dreaming of new business ventures up until his death. Ben enjoyed golf, traveling with his wife, and teaching bible study at the First United Methodist Church in Fort Smith. Ben is survived by his wife, Pat, and three children, Joel (Kim) of Rochester, MN, Carol of Rochester, MN and Steve (Joe) of Tulsa, Oklahoma; 5 grandchildren, Chris Reid, Becca (Josh) Mohs, Shane Turner, Jace Reid and Eva Reid; and 2 great-grandchildren, Aiden Mohs and Lily Scott. Ben was preceded in death by his parents and brother Alfred (Sonny) and sisters Gloria Stewart, Patricia O'Sullivan, Virginia Hoffman. A service to honor Ben will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 3, 2018 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes, 5421 Royal Place NW, Rochester MN 55901. Visitation will take place a half hour prior to the service. Burial with military honors will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Memorials may be made to Norwich University or Tuck School of Business-Dartmouth.