Providence Journal (RI) - Tuesday, March 18, 2008
GUENTHER, BENSON PRUEFER, 70, of Avery St., in Decatur, N.Y., departed from this life on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at home surrounded by his adoring family after a courageous battle with Pancreatic Cancer.
He was born August 29, 1937 in Providence, Rhode Island, the son of the late Arthur and Gladys (Benson) Guenther. Mr. Guenther was a graduate of Hope High School in Providence, RI. He attended Brown University and also studied drawing and painting at Rhode Island School of Design. He was a private student of Wilfred I. Duphiney (Rhode Islands State portrait painter) for a number of years in the 1960's. Through out his life time he had continued a private study of painting, drawing, sculpting, and photography. Mr. Guenther was also a passionate writer of poetry and short stories. Being from a family of famous musicians he studied piano as a young boy with his father Arthur Guenther who was a jazz pianist for the Blue Moon Orchestra. Mr. Guenther was also the great nephew of Gus Pruefer (designer and manufacturer of the Pruefer Clarinet). Ben Guenther's life's work was capped by a lifelong love of music in which he studied classical music and played piano till the end of his life. His gift and talent as a musician knew no bounds as his ability to play any instrument he touched (including clarinet, guitar, banjo, harmonica, and accordion) was witnessed by many. He was a member of the Rhode Island Air National Guard as a radar operator and served in the United States Air Force as an artillery man until 1964.
He was employed during high school at Narragansett Park Race Track as a money messenger /clerk and retired from the track after achieving the title of Head Cashier in the 70's. Before leaving the Race Track he also started his own business known as Sculpture Cast Inc., a Bronze Mold Making and Casting Company which still exists.
Mr. Guenther lived in various coastal towns of Rhode Island throughout his younger years. He spent seven years in Seekonk, Massachusetts before moving his family to Decatur, NY were he lived out the rest of his life. Having been utterly captivated by the natural world around him Ben Guenther was known to have had a very profound and spiritual relationship with many of Gods creatures.
He was an avid caver through out his life and a member of the National Speleological Society. In the 1980's he began an intense study of geology and paleontology which drew him to the Howe's Cave Quarry. He initiated a geological exploration of the immediate area and encouraged educators to envision the quarry and mine environs as a natural history laboratory. His ideas took hold and with great enthusiasm he received endorsements from the New York State Museum, colleges and universities, high schools, elementary schools, and numerous other educational groups. Through his steadfast determination, his experience and practical application of work at the quarry he was invited to join Cobleskill Stone Products of Cobleskill, New York to take part in one of the most ambitious restoration projects attempted in recent times in the area.
Through Ben Guenther's tenacious efforts and talent The Cave House Museum of Mining and Geology was forethought and brought to reality. Through his commitment to this endeavor he was invited to serve as a charter member of the Cave House Board of Directors and served as Education Director of the Cave House Museum and of Howe Caverns. He also served as the design engineer for the expansion plan to re-open portions of the Howes Cave system not seen in over 100 years. In honor of Mr. Guenther's passion and devotion regarding education the Cave House Museum board of directors bestowed on Ben a resolution to create a library at the Cave House Museum in his name to be known as the Benson P. Guenther Library.
He is survived by his wife Caroline (Bettencourt) Guenther of 50 years who he married September 13, 1957, his son Benson Guenther and wife Sandra of Oneonta; his daughter Wendy Guenther of Decatur, his daughter Christina (Guenther) Tavanian and husband John of Warwick, Rhode Island; and three grandchildren, Jessica Guenther of Oneonta, Aisha Guenther and Quentin Guenther of Decatur. His sister Ardys (Guenther) Filippone and husband Joseph of Block Island and Cranston, RI, his niece Selina Filippone of Cranston, RI, his nephew Joseph Filippone and wife Susan, and two children Nathanial and Julianna Filippone of Block Island, RI.
Calling hours will be held at R. A. Guffin Funeral Home, 108 Chapel St., Cobleskill, N.Y. on Friday, March 21, 2008 from 6:30 - 9:00 and also Saturday March 22, 2008 from 11:00 - 12:00 noon in which will be followed by a service. A cremation will take place at a later date followed by a private inurnment in Columbarium service in the Spring at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to The Cave House Museum of Mining & Geology, PO Box 700, Howes Cave, NY. 12092. PLAC: Decatur, NY