Benjamin (Ben) F. Love

Benjamin (Ben) F. Love, age 96, of Wichita, Ks. died on Sunday, September 3, 2023 at Ferns Place assisted living. He was born in Greenville.Pa., on February 14 (Valentines Day) 1927, a twin son of Robert Gaston and Harriet Julia Nicklin Love. Ben completed his senior year of high school early in 1945 to join the military, along with his twin brother, and served in the Navy during the end of WWII. After the war he worked at a steel car plant making railroad boxcars in Greenville for a short time before deciding he would rather come to Kansas to assist his uncle with the wheat harvest. The harvest was weathered out so instead he attended Hutch Juco and was the back up quarterback for his 2 years there. He met his wife, Jocene, at Hutch Juco and they were married prior to his attending Emporia State Teacher College, where he completed his Education degree. His first teaching position was in Highland Ks and during those early years his son, Steve, was born. They later moved to Great Bend and spent several years there with Ben teaching at the Junior high (as it was referred to in those days). While in Great Bend their daughter, Janette, was born. He spent summers working on his masters degree in fishing, or was that in education at Northeastern in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Ben was an avid fisherman which continued until he was 90 years old and no longer able to drive himself to the lake. They moved to Florida for one year where he taught science and enjoyed the various wildlife there, and the strawberries and fruit trees. They moved to Wichita and he taught phy ed and coached at Marshall jr. high and later was transferred to Truesdell, where he taught a variety of subjects. His wife, Jocene, died in 1983 after a 2 year battle with cancer and in 1986 he married Barbara Jernigan. He completed his teaching career at USD 259 in the 90’s and had many years to enjoy his retirement.
Ben enjoyed watching sports, especially gymnastics. He loved growing things, like strawberries and peach trees, which he shared with many people. Always an animal lover, he had numerous pets, raccoons, foxes, and of course numerous dogs. It was not unusual to see Ben driving around town in his Nash Metropolitan, he was instrumental in starting a chapter in the Wichita area of the North American Metropolitan Association and of course was a charter member. He was president of the local chapter for a while and was honored by the National organization for his time and dedication. Ben was a member of Memory Lane Baptist and then Country Acres Baptist church in Wichita, Ks. He was also a long term and long distance member of the American Legion in Greenville.Pa. Thanks to the Kansas honor flight organization he was able to meet up with his twin brother from Greenville and they were able to enjoy the tour of the WW ll memorial together.
Besides his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers, Bob, Dick, and Jack, and his wife Jocene, the mother of his children. Ben is survived by his wife, Barbara; one son, Steve Love (Lois); one daughter, Janette Cohlmia (Sam S.); five granddaughters, Rebekah Skillen (Matt), Johannah Hein (Tim), Sarah Love, Ashley Vanselow (Zack), and Charissa Mears (Jayden); one grandson, Sam J.Cohlmia; nine great grandchildren, five stepchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Sunday, September 10 from 1:00pm til 3:00pm at Downing & Lahey Mortuary West Wichita 10515 W. Maple. The service will at held at Country Acres Baptist Church, 8810 W. 10th St N, Wichita, on Patriots Day, Monday, September 11 at 11am with military honors to follow at grave site service in the Jamesburg Park Cemetery at 1815 N. Tyler Rd. To honor his military service, memorials can be made to the Kansas Honor flight, Box 2371, Hutchinson, Ks 67504 or kansashonorflight.org for further information.

Video Link