Benjamin John Hardesty, Pookie, the light of our life was born on Jan. 7, 1991, and left us much too soon on Oct. 25, 2006. Ben was a sophomore at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. He was inspired to go to Culinary Arts School to become a Pastry Chef. Some of us were lucky enough to have sampled his culinary creations and they were wonderful. Bens outgoing, nutty, crazy personality kept us all laughing through the years. There will never be another fishing joke as told by Pookie.
He is survived by his parents, Ralph and Jill Ann Hardesty. He will also be greatly missed by his loving sister, Aschley, and her husband, Jeff, along with their children, Devin, Kendra, Chloe and Karlie.
Ben had a large famliy that loved him and cared for him, no more so than his grandparents, Jerry and Lillie Hardesty. He also had two aunts on his fathers side, Ginger Amundson, her husband, Craig, and their daughter, Alicia and his aunt, Charmaine Hardesty. On his mothers side he had many uncles, aunts, and cousins, Terry and Kate Aschenbrenner, Randy and Pam Aschenbrenner, Ricky and Laurie Aschenbrenner, Rob Aschen-brenner, Pam Custis and Sandy Gilbertson. His cousins, who took care of their little cuz, were Jason, Trever, Cory, Shawn, Lance, Amanda, Michelle, Jeremy, Amber, Darin and Katie.
Ben also had his special family friends who loved him more than anything, his Auntie Ruth, Jeff ONeill and their children, Jamiee, Ashlee, Jake and Mikalya; the Ramirez family, Jose, Diana and their children, Deonna, Amanda Panda, Jordan and Tyler; and Ben Tweed and his parents, Tom and Cindy.
Aschley has set up a memorial on Bens My Space page nirvana-ben@hotmail.com or http://www.myspace.com/benipod for his friends and classmates to share their thoughts and memories. His Auntie Ruth has set up a scholarship fund at Washington Mutual in Marysville, Wash., in honor of Ben so that one of his graduating classmates may have the opportunity to go to Culinary Arts School.
Our light has gone out and our world will never be the same.