Ben Benham Receives 2000 A.L.Flagg Distinguished Service Award
By Genie Howell
Chairman Les Presmyk presented Board Member Ben Benham with the second A.L.Flagg Distinguished Service Award during the Eight Annual Minerals of Arizona Symposium on March 25, 2000.  The criteria for this award are (1) Foundation membership, (2) service to the Foundation, (3) contribution to the mineralogical hobby, and, (4) embodiment of Mr. A.L. Flagg's philosophy in sharing the hobby.

Ben has been described as the consummate earth scientist, a world traveler who is enthusiastic about everything outdoors, a dedicated and loyal family man and teacher, and a tireless worker and advocate for the Mineralogical Society of Arizona and the Flagg Foundation/AMMMF.

Ben graduated from the University of Illinois with degrees in mathematics and physics. During WWII, as a radar pioneer, he was sent to study at MIT. He is a retired Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserves.

Ben moved to Arizona in 1946 and accepted a job teaching math at Phoenix College. In 1948 the dean asked him to teach geology. Since he had had no course work in geology, he turned to Mr.Art Flagg who gave Ben some instruction and provided him with specimens for the classroom. Ben was President of MSA in 1951 and again in the late 50s. Ben's also been a diligent worker behind the

scenes, showing up to set up and tear down for the MSA Shows and help with activities for the Foundation. Ben helped make those Board quorums in the Foundation's early years, and helped move the Foundation's collection to the new Museum building. He is a Collection Committee member, and helps sell, price, and identify and wrap minerals at the Flagg Shows. Ben has taken students on 600-mile canoe trips in the Yukon of Alaska, and at least a dozen times down the Colorado River, the last time with members of his own family. He has shared his extensive knowledge of the geology of the Canyon with the Foundation through slides. (And you can learn a lot just working next to him at a Flagg Sale…)

Ben was retired (i.e., he doesn't make it sound voluntary) at age 70 from Phoenix College where he was teaching physics and geology. He has kept in touch with a lot of students through the years, who showed up to help him build his house in Cave Creek. From June to September (purposeful timing), Ben will travel first to Madagascar and later to the upper Midwest, where he will camp on a friend's island. He planned to "upgrade" the camping experience this year by taking a generator. He could testify to the effectiveness of the Katadyn water filter long before the rest of us first heard of "Katadyn" during the ads for Y2K preparedness.             Les related this anecdote about Ben at the Symposium: "One time Ben was leading a caravan of teachers and students to Dead Horse Point near

(Continued on page 6)

Next Page