|
this was posted by Jim Hopper today, 12/28/2022;
I have some sad news to report. One of my best friends and a friend to all of you, Ben Marchello, died in the early morning Dec. 27th. It’s hard to get my mind around this. I wish I didn’t have to write this. I first met Ben in the 7th grade at Lincoln. But from then on, I knew I had a friend for life who was fun to be with. We did lots of things together along with many of you both in school and outside. Ben always seemed to find something positive in every situation (even living in Bethel, AK for a couple years). We will all have time to share stories about Ben in the coming days on this site. After I received a text from Butler with the sad news, Jan called Mary Lou. She said that on Sunday, Dec 18 she and Ben had played with the Billings Community Band at Lincoln Auditorium. Ben had gone to put his trombone in the car and get a Christmas present for someone. When he didn’t return for a while Mary Lou went out to see what was taking him so long. She found him lying on the sidewalk with an ambulance there and paramedics attending to Ben. He had cracked his skull when he fell and there was bleeding in the brain. She thinks he had a heart arrhythmia and fainted (she said he sort of remembered starting to faint). As many of you know Ben had a heart condition and almost died about 5 or so years ago. Ben was in ICU for a few days and then in palliative care. I think he was able to converse with Mary Lou and his family some of the time. Their son, Paul, from Missoula(?) drove down and was in Billings on Monday. Julia came out from California a day or two later. Beth who lives near us in Colorado, was not able to get there until last weekend. Ben was having severe headaches so he was sedated much of the time. When Beth arrived, his doctors reduced the sedation enough for Ben to recognize and talk to her. Mary Lou asked him if he would rather be comfortable or have his life extended. He chose comfort. His kidneys and other organs started to shut down because of the brain injury. Mary Lou said she was with him when he stopped breathing early Tuesday morning. I forgot to ask Mary Lou about Ben’s sister, Roberta (Bobbie) but I’m sure she was there as well. As I end this, I have very heavy heart. Ben and Mary Lou and Jan and I have strong connections. I was best man for Ben at their wedding and Jan, who lived across the alley from Mary Lou served at the reception. Jan and I met at the rehearsal dinner at Ben’s parent’s house (although our families had many connections). Jan and I got married about a year later. If it hadn’t been for Ben and Mary Lou’s wedding our lives would have been much different to say the least. I haven’t even mentioned all the people Ben helped as a physician treating cancer patients. He and another physician started the Frontier Cancer Center on Grand Ave. He treated some of our classmates. But most of us knew Ben as a humble, humorous, loving friend. Mary Lou said the memorial will be next Tues, Jan 3 at St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church. Rest in Peace my friend. We will all miss you. https://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/dr-benjamin-thomas-marchello/article_345ce84d-d469-5dfe-afd6-84447cd46802.html
|
Jocelyn Lunde (Gilbert)
Perhaps I am one of the very few in the class of 1965 who did not know Ben but Mary Lou was my closest friend in third grade so imagine my surprise when she appeared at my mom's funeral in 2012. How very kind of her to take the time. I can't offer the same honor to Mary Lou or the rest of Ben's family but please know that you are in my prayers during this time of sorrow. God bless you and may you know God's hand of compassion going forward.
Jane Nordlund (Billstein)
I'm so sorry to hear about Ben's passing. My thoughts and prayers are with Ben's family especially Mary Lou.Cynthia Rye (Snyder)
Why do I remember Ben poignantly? According to his obituary, we both attended Lincoln Jr. High at the same time. Although we shared those same years, I don't remember any classes together.. Yet his death posting brought up such clear memories for me of a kind, intelligent guy who was good to be around. Thank you, Ben, for leaving us with the best memories.
Dick Wise
Here is a humorous story for the Marchello family. It begins in Lafayette Colorado 2006. Two moms named Jenny and Beth each Have a six month old child. They met at a "mom's and Tots" swim class. They became friends over the next one year and learned that each had a family cabin in the Beartooth mountains and had relatives in Billings. Next event: Jenny told her grandma in Billings about Beth. Her grandma said, "find out Beth's maiden name." Dramatic climax, re-created loosely.
Jenny: Beth, what is your maiden name? Beth: Marchello
Jenny: Are you kidding me? Is your dad Ben Marchello?
Beth: Jenny, what is your maiden name? Jenny: Wise
Beth: are you kidding me? Is your dad Dick Wise?
This story is strange but true. And the Grandma? My Mom Harriet Wise
David Butler
One more story about Ben:
I related this story at Ben’s memorial service last Monday. Several friends and classmates asked me to post it here
Ben and I were classmates from junior high through college, when we went off to Dartmouth College, which, at that time, was an all-male school in the north woods of New Hampshire. It had the reputation of being a bastion of manliness, with hard studying and few showers four days a week, and hard drinking and partying throughout the weekend.
Obviously that image did not fit Ben (nor me, for that matter).
For our last two years at Dartmouth, Ben and I lived in the same dormitory – Woodward Hall – I, on the first floor, Ben, directly below me in what we all referred to as the basement, although it was actually ground level. The window in Ben’s room looked out across a grassy courtyard toward the gymnasium and football field.
Perhaps my dearest memory of Ben comes from one autumn when, walking home from class, I came upon Ben crouched in front of that window, digging in the soil.
“What the heck are you doing?” I asked.
And Ben told me that he was planting tulip bulbs and crocuses . . .
That’s the whole story.
Dartmouth was founded in 1769, and by the time Ben matriculated, it had hosted perhaps 100,000 students.
And I doubt that any one of them ever planted tulips outside his window . . .
Paul Marchello
Thank you for all the wonderful comments about my dad. I thought you might enjoy this.
March 10, 1969
“It’s Especially Popular with Girls”: ’69’s Count Animal Crackers
By E. Thezee
In a rare public interview yesterday, Lanyard J. Urchin (registered at the College as Benjamin T. Marchello ’69) revealed that mountain lions are far in the lead in his little-known but widely-conducted Animal Cracker Count.
Operating from headquarters in 7 Woodward Hall, Urchin, Richard P. Bozof ’69, and several colleagues have been earnestly compiling what is believed to be the world’s first accurate tabulation of the proportions of various animals in Animal Crackers.
Urchin carries out his survey with the help of field researchers all over the country. He has agents, who “report by mail when they feel hungry enough to eat the things,” at Duke, Clemson, Wellesley, Yale, Stanford, the University of Washington, the University of Michigan, and the College of Wooster (Ohio).
The project got its start on a lonely Dartmouth Saturday in the fall of 1967, Urchin said as he pulled a gorilla out of the box and meticulously checked it off.
It quickly spread to Wellesley he continued, where he now has five agents. “It’s especially popular with girls,” he explained. “They really love to count Animal Crackers.”
Animal Cracker Counters like some animals better than others, said Urchin. Lions, tigers, hippos, gorillas, and others are well thought of in Counters’ circles, but sheep, monkeys, and kangaroos are not. “I never did like sitting bears,” he added.
Urchin paused, not even looking at the zebra in his hand. “Then there are the Exotics,” he said softly. He explained that the Exotics are ultra-rare, and usually unique crackers which require great experience to identify.
They occur an average of once in every 20 boxes, he explained, although none have turned up in the last 50 boxes of his Count.
Urchin theorized that the Exotics represent a whole different world of Animal Crackers—a world never revealed to man. “They show the influence of another population of Animal Crackers somewhere out there...,” he said, staring “out there.”
“Counting suffered a great blow last fall,” he lamented, “when the price went up from ten cents a box to two for 25 cents. But maybe this article will attract more Counters from the College.”
“It’s a good opportunity for Dartmouth men who wonder what they can do in the world,” he said, “especially seniors.”
“I don’t know if it’s good for a draft deferment,” he admitted. “After all, the government always was slow to recognize a worthwhile activity.”
Standards
Mountain Lions 270
Camels 245
Lions 239
Sheep 230
Giraffes 228
Monkeys 228
Seals 227
Bears (on 4 feet) 224
Gorillas 220
Zebras 214
Lionesses 213
Tigers 212
Bison 212
Hippopotami 211
Bears (sitting) 210
Rhinoceroses 209
Elephants 207
Kangaroos 200
Exotics
Cowboys 2
Cow 1
Horse-head 1
Holster 1
Girl, behind fence, waving 1
Covered Wagon 1
Indian Chief 1
Porcupine 1
Wart Hog 1
Total Boxes 172
Jonathon (Jon) Moe
Very funny...Next time I'm in the store, I'll buy some animal crackers and count them, assuming they are still available and affordable.Terry Mattison
I had forgotten all about the animal cracker survey. I was proud to be the University of Michigan field agent.
Jim Hopper
I get them at Costco now in a ginormous plastic jar. I'll have to take a look. I just finished my last one a while ago.
Nancy Marsh (Canepa)
We graduated next to one another. I just got back on the website so didn't know. He was a gem of a man and friend. Love to Mary Lou