Benjamin Franklin Prince Sr.

Benjamin Franklin Prince, Sr. Passed away June 6, 2017. He was born April 15 1925 in Clay County, AL. The son of a cotton farmer, he was the eighth of ten children. Drafted into the US Army in 1942, he was a tank operator in the Big Red One Twelfth Armored Division under the command of General George Patton. After landing on the beaches of Normandy he was captured by the German Army during the Battle of the Bulge. Held prisoner of war for almost a year, he returned to the States in 1945. On July 10, 1945 he married Esther Hilda Pickett in Junction City, Kansas. They were married 62 years until her death in 2007. Ben and Esther were faithful members of and raised their four children in St. Andrews United Methodist Church. At the time of his passing, he was attending Center Hill United Methodist Church. He retired from Kimberly Clark in 1983 after 32 years of service. A 32nd Degree Mason, Ben was a member of the Zamora Temple of the Shrine. Survivors include his daughter, Neta Stephens (Wayne); sons Benjamin Prince Jr. (Nancy), Garry Prince (Kathy), and Larry J. Prince; grandchildren, Tracy Archer, Michael Stephens, Benjamin Prince III, Larry D. Prince, Katy Prince, Christopher Prince, Jamie Prince, Steven Prince, and Alyson Prince, Great Grandchildren, Brook Archer, Luke Archer, Nathan Stephens, Laura Rose Stephens, Fischer Prince, and Sadie Prince. The family will receive visitors on Thursday June 8, 2017, from 6PM until 8PM ant Curtis and Son Funeral Home North Chapel, funeral service will be at Curtis and Son North Chapel on Friday June 9, 2017 at 2PM. Committal service will be at Greenhill Cemetery in Childersburg AL. Rev. Rodney Frost will preside.