Stein, Benjamin Nicholas (1982 - 2023)

STEIN, WEGNER, SCHMIDT

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 10/8/2023 at 16:03:13

Name of deceased: Benjamin Nicholas Stein

Aged: 40 yrs, 8 mo, 3 days

Residence: Portsmouth, Shelby County, IA

Born: Dec. 18, 1982; Harlan, Shelby County, IA

Died: Aug. 21, 2023; location not provided

Funeral services: Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, Sep. 1, 2023; St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima, Portsmouth, IA; burial will be at a later date in St. Mary's Cemetery, Portsmouth, IA

Survived by: Parents, Kenny & Julie Stein of Portsmouth, IA; siblings, Nick (spouse, Miranda) Stein of Portsmouth, IA, Lincoln (spouse, Michelle) Stein of West Des Moines, IA, and Becca Stein (fiancé, Michael Wegner) of Des Moines, IA; nieces, Charlotte and Eleanor; nephews, Daxton, Kase, & Brock; maternal grandfather, Mick Schmidt of Harlan, IA; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: no information provided

Education: During his high school years, Ben was a member of the Portsmouth CYO basketball team and of the Harlan (IA) Community High School football team. In high school, Ben found a love of cinematography, spending hours writing, directing, and editing school and personal video projects.

Religious affiliation: Catholic

Military service: no information provided

Marriage: Lindsey (maiden name not provided); date and location not provided. They divorced after 10 years.

Employment: Spent several years living and working in Omaha, NE, finding an appreciation for food preparation and grew many skills as a chef at the Marriott Chop House. Later, Ben moved to Woodbine, IA and worked various jobs. He spent his last years taking care of hogs and working on the family farm.

Hobbies/Interests: Spent many years playing baseball for Portsmouth, IA, with his brother, Nick, as a teammate and dad, Kenny, and uncle, Larry, as coaches. When he was growing up, hours were spent on the farm, particularly with his 4-H livestock projects. On the weekends, you could often find him playing guitar and singing with his band, Denis Wendt and the Ass Kickers. Ben made every family gathering memorable, often spending days preparing delicious food for everyone to enjoy. He drew from early memories in Grandma Tiny’s kitchen, his experience as a chef, and his own culinary abilities to craft new recipes. When venturing outdoors, Ben would craft a hearty hobo stew over the campfire. In addition to cooking for his family and friends, Ben shared his love of music, whether it was a song he had written, or strumming his guitar as accompaniment to a family sing-along. Ben introduced the family to several board games. On game day, you could find Ben cheering on the Oregon Ducks, the Iowa State Cyclones, and the Kansas City Chiefs. He enjoyed the annual Stein Bowling Tournament and participated in the local bowling league. Ben recently started a collection of Nerf toys, enlisting all his nieces and nephews in contest. The ensuing yelling and laughter were telltale signs of a good time by all while bringing the family together.

Sources: harlanonline.com