Bernard Benjamin Benedict Kalapach passed away Sunday, April 22, 2012, in Fort Worth.
Celebration of Life: 2 p.m. Wedneday May 9th, 2012 in Biggers Funeral Chapel. Visitation: The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the memorial service
Memorials: St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105
Ben “Bernie” Kalapach was born January 19, 1927, in Whiting, Indiana, to Joseph S. Kalapach and Anna Holman Kalapach. He graduated from Whiting High School with honors in 1944 and served in the Navy, Army, and lastly the Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1949. Ben attended Florida Southern College where he met his wife, Carol and later graduated with a B.S. from Indiana State Teachers College and continued working toward his M.A. at Roosevelt University. While attending Indiana State, Ben received Academic and Athletic Awards including Blue Key Honorary Membership. After obtaining his teaching degree Mr. Kalapach had the opportunity to teach math at Whiting High School for a brief period of time in the same classroom where he was taught. After teaching at Whiting and a brief teaching tenure at Purdue, Ben went on to work for AMOCO where he became an instructor in the Apprentice Training Program and published a book on the “Industrial Application of Mathematics.” Ben was listed in the 1965 Edition of “Leading Men in America” publication. He retired from AMOCO in 1987. Ben was an avid sportsman and a member of the All American Trap Team in 1963 after becoming the “Clay Target Singles, Handicap and High Overall” Champion at the GRAND AMERICAN world championship in Vandalia, OH in 1962. He loved the game of golf, winning his share of tournaments and continued to play until recently. His latest love of this game was the encouragement and mentoring of his beloved granddaughter, Stephanie, playing collegiate golf. He always demanded the shot-by-shot account of her rounds.
Ben married Carol Jean Dickson on October 11, l952 in Kewanee, IL. During their 59+ years of married life they lived in Whiting, Griffith, Highland and Munster IN, and El Dorado, AR moving to Fort Worth, TX in 1974. Ben was preceded in death by their beloved son, Jeffrey.
Survivors include his beloved wife, Carol Kalapach; son, Bruce Kalapach and wife Lee Ann; granddaughter, Stephanie Kalapach.
