Benjamin Stephenson

Benjamin “Ben” Adam Stephenson, 67, of the Meadowdale community of Highland County, passed away Sunday, August 13, 2017 at his home, the original Stephenson homeplace, surrounded by his family.

Mr. Stephenson was born June 9, 1950, the youngest son of the late Sarah Carolyn (Hope) and William Revercomb Stephenson Jr.

On June 19, 1976 he married Mary Amelia Garrahan and together raised one son, William Benjamin.

He was a self-employed farmer on his family farm all his life, raising beef cattle and for many years sheep. He was well known in the Meadowdale/Hightown/Mill Gap area as the one to call when neighbor’s cows or ewes were having difficulty birthing, often in the middle of the night. He loved horses, going on trail rides, volunteering with the High Riders 4-H Club and served as ring master for the 4-H horse show and Highland County Fair Horse Show for several years. He loved to work crossword puzzles and read, especially, westerns and anything about the Civil War.

In his younger days Ben was an avid hunter and enjoyed his yearly week at Bolar Draft Hunt Club in Mountain Grove. He spent many hours on his mountainside hunting deer and turkey.

Ben was a lifelong member of Pisgah Presbyterian Church. He had also served on the Highland-Bath Farm Bureau Board of Directors and was a member of the Highland Chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

In addition to his wife of 41 years and his son, he is survived by grandsons Weston Blake and Wyatt Adam Stephenson and their mother, Emily Hull; two brothers and sisters-in-law Holmes and Ardis Stephenson and Jim and Debbi Stephenson, all of Monterey; nieces Kathy Newton and husband, Tyler, of Asheville, N.C. and Pam Carter and husband, Chris, of Richmond; one great-nephew Anderson Gray Carter; as well as numerous cousins.

A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. at Obaugh Funeral Home on Thursday, August 17, 2017 with the Rev. Andre Crummett and Mary Lou Cox officiating. Burial will follow in Monterey Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be William “Wilber” Stephenson, Bill Will, Rob “Barney” Warner, George Smith, Doug Gutshall and Bill Garrahan.

Honorary pallbearers will be friends and neighbors attending the service.

Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, August 16, at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Highland County 4-H Club, P.O. Box 528, Monterey, Va. 24465.