Ben was an adventurous and extremely kind young man. His unique sense of humor was one of his best qualities. He had a remarkable way of personally interacting with others on an individual basis which gave him a special and unique bond with people. Everyone loved Ben. He had such a sweet temperament and this quality he carried throughout his too-brief life. He grew from a loving, inquisitive child to a wonderful young man who was a joy to all who knew him. He had the ability to break tense situations with a humorous comment, and he particularly enjoyed playfully picking on his parents and his brother and sister. Ben had an amazing heart, an infectious smile, and he loved Jesus. As a young man with a strong Christian faith, we know that as terribly as he will be missed, it is just goodbye for now. Ben will always be with us and we know for certain we will see him again someday.
Ben attended St. Marks Episcopal School in Palm Beach Gardens from PK4 through 8th grade. During his middle school years, Ben competed on several North Palm Beach recreational basketball teams that seemed to almost always play for the league championship. In addition to basketball, Ben played baseball where he met many of his lifelong friends and where he was blessed with wonderful coaches who remained in his life. While at St. Marks, Ben discovered his love of acting and performing. In 8th grade, he was cast as Grimsby in the school’s performance of The Little Mermaid. Ben then continued to pursue his passion for acting while at The Benjamin School (TBS), where he graduated Cum Laude in 2019. Ben performed in multiple productions at TBS, including but not limited to Lord of the Flies, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Bye Bye Birdie, and Julius Caesar.
Upon graduation, Ben continued the family tradition by attending the University of Florida. When he was awarded a large academic scholarship in 2022 by Azusa Pacific University (APU) to study acting for the stage and screen, he jumped at the opportunity. From the very beginning of his schooling, through this past semester at APU, Ben was always an accomplished and successful student. He was diligent and carried nearly a perfect GPA throughout his college experience. As we grew to expect from Ben, he earned enough credit hours and he will be honored with a Posthumous degree from APU this May.
Ben was blessed with two amazing siblings: Will, whom he shared a room with throughout most of his childhood, and Anna, whom he would protect no matter what but whom he also loved playfully teasing. He had a deep personal relationship with both his brother and sister. Additionally, Ben truly cherished his relationships with his friends. Whether they were from home in South Florida, from Gainesville, or from California, Ben was devoted to maintaining close relationships with them all. He truly loved his buddies. Most recently, Ben referred to his three roommates at APU as his "California Family”.
Ben loved the mountains and snow skiing. He enjoyed hiking and going to the beach. Family trips to the Bahamas where he went fishing and snorkeling were among his favorite adventures. Ben also was fascinated with the weather. He regularly watched The Weather Channel and he became very excited when hurricanes were approaching South Florida, unlike the rest of us. Ben was devoted to working out at the gym and he was proud of the results of his hard work. Six days before he passed away, Ben jumped out of an airplane. He was incredibly proud of that achievement. In a video that was recorded just beforehand, he told his family and friends that “he was nervous, but we keep marching on”. At Ben’s direction and as hard as it will be, we will all keep marching on every day in Ben’s honor until we are reunited with him in Heaven.
Ben was preceded in death by his Grandmother, Gloria Bobier (GaGa). He is survived by his heartbroken parents, Laura and Brad Smithy, along with his older brother William (Will), his younger sister Anna, his grandparents Marilyn Smithy, Wayne Smithy, and Gerald Bobier, his three uncles, David Bedenbaugh, Jay Bobier, and Scott Bobier, his Aunt Jennifer, and his four cousins, Landyn Bedenbaugh, Lucas Bedenbaugh, Logan Bedenbaugh, and Jack Bobier. Ben is also survived by his beloved family pets, Emma, Sawyer, and Roxy. When Ben came home to visit, the three of them always received his immediate affection as he would drop to the floor to cuddle with them.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, May 9, 2024 at the Family Church in downtown West Palm Beach (1101 S. Flagler Drive). A reception in the foyer will follow. The family requests that, If possible, please do not wear black.
Additionally, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, gifts, or food, that a donation be made in Ben’s memory to Azusa Pacific University to benefit the Department of Theater Arts, which he loved. Gifts can be made via apu.edu/give (type Benjamin Smithy in the “Designation” section), or checks made payable to Azusa Pacific University with the same designation noted can be mailed to Azusa Pacific University Advancement Office, P.O. Box 7000, Azusa, California 91702.
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