Stearns Jr., Ben Wade

Ben Wade Stearns Jr., 86, of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013, at The Woodlands of The Meth-Wick Community, Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Marion. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, at First Presbyterian Church, Marion. The memorial service will be conducted by the Rev. Dr. Howard Chapman.

He was born Jan. 8, 1927, at Logan, Iowa, the son of Ben W. Stearns and Mary Agnes Henn Stearns. The family moved in 1939 to Des Moines, where he graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1944. After attending Drake University for one semester he entered the U.S. Army and served 15 months in the Philippines.

After returning to Des Moines, he worked in the printing trades and earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Drake in 1951. He then worked for the Iowa City Press-Citizen as reporter, city editor and news editor for 11 years until joining Collins Radio Co. of Cedar Rapids, serving as public relations manager. He later worked for the advertising and public relations agency CMF & Z until retiring in 1990.

In 1953, he married Mary Teresa Anderson of Des Moines. He is survived by his wife; three daughters, Jane Upmeyer and husband Steve of Tell City, Ind., the Rev. Dr. Gail Stearns, Dean of the Chapel at Chapman University, Orange, Calif., and Nancy Martin and husband Robert of Hardwick, Mass.; a sister, Margaret McVicker of Catonsville, Md.; a brother-in-law, Louis Norris of Des Moines; and six grandchildren, Amy Smith and husband Josh of Indianapolis, Staci Upmeyer of Indianapolis, John Moody of Los Angeles, Calif., Jeana Moody of Claremont, Calif., Laura Martin, attending graduate school at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Ian Martin of Los Angeles.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Dorothy Norris.

In retirement Ben researched and wrote the book, Arthur Collins, Radio Wizard, a biography about the founder of Collins Radio Co. and history of the company, now Rockwell Collins.

He was a 51-year member and elder of First Presbyterian Church, Marion. He was a 50-year member of Masonic Lodge No. 4, Iowa City, and a member of American Legion Post No. 563, Bonaparte, Iowa. He had also been elected to and served as chairman of the Marion Parks board.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to First Presbyterian Church of Marion or the Ben W. Stearns Memorial Fund. Donations to this fund will be used for ongoing projects to preserve the history of Arthur A. Collins. Donations may be made directly to the fund at any Collins Credit Union.

The Stearns family extends their deepest appreciation to those who cared for Ben: the compassionate nursing staff and chaplains at the Woodlands of Meth-Wick, hospice and palliative care of St. Luke's Hospital, Dr. William Fusselman and staff, and the pastors and congregation of First Presbyterian Church, Marion.

Please sign the online guest book for Ben at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Published Aug. 22, 2013 in The Gazette