Ben F. Phillips

Ben F. Phillips, 100, of Elkhart, Indiana, went home to be with his Savior, Friday, October 9, 2026.

He was born August 13, 1926, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to the late Benjamin Franklin and Anna (Moeller) Phillips. He was their third child and first son born of their ten children.

The family moved to Steubenville, Ohio, where Ben attended and graduated from Steubenville High School in 1945. Immediately after graduating, Ben was drafted into the U.S. Army and went to basic training at Camp Blanding in Florida. After completing basic training, the Army sent Ben to drafting school in Belvoir, VA. He ultimately boarded a ship for a week journey across the Atlantic to Le Havre, France. From Le Havre, he eventually preceded to Bremen, Germany where he would be stationed with an Engineer Combat Battalion in the Army of Occupation.

After being discharged, Ben returned to Steubenville and began attending Steubenville Business College. After graduating in 1948, Ben held various accounting roles at Armour and Company, Follansbee Steel, National Steel and Weirton Steel.

While working, he began attending Steubenville College (today University) part time, where he met Audrey Ruth Kayser. They wed on June 24, 1961 in Wellsburg, W.V. and were married 55 years, until her passing on July 27, 2016. Ben eventually began attending college full time and graduated in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology. He then became the bacteriologist for the city of Steubenville.

Shortly after becoming bacteriologist, Miles Laboratories in Elkhart, Indiana, responded to an inquiry Ben made prior to becoming bacteriologist. Soon after, Ben accepted a Research Scientist role at Miles in the Diagnostics Division and he and Audrey moved to Elkhart, where they would raise two children, Darren and Beverly, and live for the rest of their time on earth. After 25 years, Ben retired from Miles, which had become owned by Bayer AG, on October 1, 1990.

In retirement, Ben enjoyed traveling with Audrey, reading and gardening, with each summer having a backyard full of multiple fruits, vegetables and flowers, especially roses. He had a strong interest in health and longevity and was the epitome of eating to live.

Not only was Ben a wonderful provider for his family, he also was always mindful of and ensuring their well-being and safety. He was a man of integrity who possessed many positive traits, including strong morals, being a hard worker, honesty, trustworthiness, diligence, doing what was right and/or needed versus what was easiest, acceptance of and tackling what came his way without complaint, to name a few. He was a blessing and will be greatly missed.

Surviving are Ben's two children, Darren (Bonnie) and Beverly Phillips, as well as two of his younger siblings, Robert Phillips of Manteo, NC and Linda Foster of New Cumberland, WV. Many nieces and nephews also survive. In addition to his parents, preceding him in death is the wife he loved deeply and missed, Audrey Kayser Phillips, sisters Martha Borders, Katherine Palmer, Betty Busacca, Marjorie Phillips, Annette Bugnone and Jean Conrad, as well as a brother Dale Phillips.

A memorial service for Ben will be at 11am Saturday October 17, at McCoy Memorial Baptist Church, 134 St. Clair Ave., Elkhart, IN 46516. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to McCoy Memorial Baptist Church. Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, 1531 Cobblestone Blvd., Elkhart, IN 46514 is assisting the Phillips family. Online condolences at www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com