Ben Benfield passed away in his sleep today, eight days after his 99th birthday. He was born in Paris in 1911, was brought up in San Francisco and England, graduating from the Rugby school. Ben completed his undergraduate degree at M.I.T. and then received his Ph.D. in geophysics from Trinity College, Cambridge in England. His research took him back to his beloved Austria and Switzerland where he loved to hike. It was on one such hiking trip that he met his wife, Marion Bridgman whom he married in Geneva, Switzerland in 1935. Ben taught Physics at Williams College from 1939 to 1946, except for a hiatus for his military service at Hanscom Field where he was involved with the effort to improve radar capabilities during World War II. In 1946, he became a physics professor in the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. He published several articles in the Scientific American and the Geophysical Journal International. In 1946, Ben bought his home in Carlisle, MA and lived there for 64 years. He retired from Harvard in 1960 and started his second career in conservation. He was one of the founders of the Carlisle Conservation Foundation and chaired the Carlisle Conservation Commission from 1969 to 1978. In 1987, he was the Carlisle Honored Citizen for his vision and efforts on behalf of the Carlisle citizens. In 1988 and again in 2001, Ben won the Carlisle Conservationist of the Year award. The town of Carlisle enjoys unprecedented open space that will exist in perpetuity due to Bens efforts. As well, he delighted readers with his weekly article in the Carlisle Gazette, starting in 1975, and later for the Carlisle Mosquito. In all, he wrote more than 400 articles, ranging from some phenomenon of nature or history to the foibles of man. Ben leaves two sons: Peter and his wife, Barbara, who live in Needham, MA. and Michael and his wife, Tara, who live in Monson, MA. A younger son, David died in a climbing accident in 1970. Ben also leaves six grandchildren: Susan, David, Heather, Rebecca and Andrew Benfield and Kristen Waddell. He also leaves nine great-grandchildren. His family, friends and cadre of devoted caregivers will all miss him. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Carlisle Conservation Foundation,P.O Box 300, Carlisle, MA 01741,The Salvation Army, attn: Development Office, 25 Shawmut Rd., Canton, MA 02021or a charity of your choice. Cemetery: Green Cemetery,Carlisle, Massachusetts immediately following the service in the funeral home. Visitation: Visiting hours will be on Sunday, December 12thfrom noon pm to 2 pm, followed by the funeral service at 2 pm at Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center. Service: A memorial service will be planned for the spring.