[M] #15517 Ben Floyd Mechling ( Torrence Floyd "Floyd" Mechling • George Harrison Mechling • Aaron Torrence Mechling • Philip Mechling • John George Mechling • John Jacob Mechling • Diebold "Theobald" Mechling◊ • Diebold Mechling◊ • Martin Mechling◊ )

Ben was born 11 Nov 1919 in Ft. Collins, Colorado. He died 10 May 2010 in Ft. Collins, Colorado from stroke.

From an undated copy of an obituary in the Coloradoan:

He was the youngest child and only son of Floyd and Rose (GUILICK) MECHLING, who proudly took their new son to their family home on Olive Street. In 2009, Ben was delighted to tour his family home during its showcase on the Fort Collins Historic Home Tour. Floyd unfortunately died when Ben was eight years old and Rose, an accomplished seamstress, began working at the Northern Hotel to support her three children. Ben walked to the old Fort Collins Country Club to work as a "caddie" through high school and developed a lifelong love of the sport. After graduating from Fort Collins High School in 1937, Ben attended Colorado A & M, now CSU, and worked in the student center as what he described as "their first jerk--soda jerk, that is!"

Because of his experiences in the ROTC, when he enrolled in the army he was given the responsibility of commanding 100 men in Nazi Germany at the age of 21. By the end of the war, he was a Major, but he always was most proud of his time as "Captain Mechling" because of the individual relationships he had with his men. Though the war only encompassed a small percentage of his ninety years, those experiences and the responsibilities given to him there shaped the rest of his life. Six decades later, when asked what accomplishment of which he was most proud, he said "I took 100 men over there and brought 100 men back!"

Ben's mother died while he was in Europe. After the war, Ben returned to Fort Collins where he met and married Patricia Jane HENRY and had one son, Terrence Lee "Terry".

He bought a storefront on the Main Street of Estes Park and lived with his little family above the store for many years. Ben discovered he had an uncanny sense of what merchandise people wanted and was never afraid to try something new. He later remembered with awe his "luck" at buying into the T shirt screening business that no one else thought would succeed. The demand was so great, he opened a second shop in Estes Park, just to supply that demand.

During that time, Estes Park would literally shut down during the winter, so Ben opened another gift shop in the famous Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, where he worked the winter months, rubbing elbows with Hollywood stars and succeeding in building his business there, marketing luxury items and rare Native American Art.

Pat was diagnosed with MS and Ben moved his little family to Arizona full time in the early 1950's. His witty personality and ability to make others feel special, coupled with his genuine desire to serve, produced three successful shops in Scottsdale which he sold in 1980 to enter retirement after Pat's death.

He spent the next years pursuing his passion for the game of golf and traveling. During one of those games, his old friend, Bob Reynolds, who had supplied him with Cadillacs for years, introduced him to his "baby sister", Dorothy. It was love at first sight and he affectionately called her his "Blonde Bomber". They were married in 1988, at Bob's 60th birthday party in Fort Collins. Ben introduced Dorothy to the game of golf and they built a summer home on the new Fort Collins Golf Course and wintered in Scottsdale.

Ben was delighted to adopt Dorothy's three children. He, who had never had grandchildren, was thrilled to suddenly have seven grandsons and one granddaughter!

Ben married first #15518 Patricia Jane Henry.

Patricia was born 23 Aug 1920. She died 7 Nov 1977.

Children of this relationship:

Ben (relationship status suppressed while one person possibly living) second #63168 Living.

(Information suppressed while possibly living)

Mechling Historical Association Family Newletter, Vol. XXIV, Nos. 1&2, March-June 2010.

Line Generation: 10

Relationship: Sixth Cousins One Times Removed through Diebold "Theobald" Mechling◊