Benjamin Brackett

He was born in Baton Rouge Lousiana, October 22, 1982, the son of Steven L. and Pauline (Lavoie) Brackett and has resided in Keene prior to moving to California about five years ago.

Ben graduated from Keene High School, class of 2001. In high school Ben was on the swim team, the cross country ski team and the cross country and track teams, His senior year the cross country team won the NH State Championship. He went on to further his education, graduating from Plymouth State University class of 2006. While at Plymouth Ben developed a love of rock climbing and skiing. He spent a semester in New Zealand where he honed his rock climbing skills.

He was employed in the hospitality department with the Squaw Valley Resort and had worked for this company for the past five years.

Ben had an adventuresome spirit. In the Tahoe area he was able to live out his passions of skiing and rock climbing with friends. He spent many days discovering Yosemite, skiing throughout the western states and camping in the national forests and parks. He loved white water rafting and became a guide taking others down various classes of river rapids. In June 2011 Ben and a climbing friend reached the summit of Mt. McKinley.

It has been requested that gifts be made in memory of Benjamin, to the Winter Empowerment Fund, c/o High Fives Non Profit Foundation P.O. Box 3212, Truckee, CA. 96160. This organization provides support for injured skiers, or to Access Fund at www.accessfund.com or www.leiceaccessfund.org. This is a conservation of climbing enviroments nonprofit organization.

Survivors include: his parents of Keene, a brother Jon Brackett of Keene, his paternal grandparents Bill & Barbara Brackett of Walpole, as well as several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Services for Ben will be held Saturday afternoon at 1 o'clock from the Monadnock Covenant Church, corner of Base Hill Road and Route #9. Friends are invited.

Calling hours will be held Friday afternoon from 4 to 6 at the Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 33 Marlboro Street, Keene, NH.