Ben Paul Persinger, 56

January 01, 2011

APRIL 8, 1954-DEC. 30, 2010

Ben Paul Persinger of Hagerstown, Md., passed away Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010. He was 56 years old.

He was born to Harold L. Persinger and Virginia Mae (Wilhelm) Persinger in Bitburg, Germany, on April 8, 1954.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Kathy (Rider) Persinger; son, Alex Persinger; and sister, Carol Norris and her husband, John, and her children, Michaela Waugh, Loucinda Schlotterbeck and Paul Norris. In addition, he is survived by his sister-in-law, Karen Gladfelter, and her husband, Todd, daughter, Alecia, and mother-in-law, Eileen (Shaw) Rider.

Ben graduated from South Hagerstown High School in 1972. He married Kathy in 1974 and enlisted in the Air Force. He left the Air Force after seven years to attend Hagerstown Junior College, getting his bachelor’s degree at UMD in 1983. Upon completing officer candidate school, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy, where he received his master’s degree from Navy Post Graduate School in 1994.

Ben retired from the Navy after 26 years of military service as a commander and immediately went to work for the Department of the Navy as the Operations Department head and business manager for the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division.

Throughout the years, his many interests included sailing, photography, scuba diving, woodworking and his love for music, especially the blues.

There will be a memorial service to celebrate his life Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, at 6 p.m. at Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. North, Hagerstown.

He was preceded in death not only by his father, but also by his much-beloved father-in-law, “Bud” Rider.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Hospice of Washington County, 747 Northern Ave., Hagerstown, MD 21742, whose help and compassion were immeasurable.

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