Obituary: Senior Chief Petty Officer Benjamin Frantz Stout, FTCS

A Christian memorial service for Senior Chief Petty Officer Benjamin Frantz Stout, FTCS, devoted husband of the late Katherine Caroline Rodney-Stout and beloved father of Carolyn Susan Foster, will begin at noon Friday, March 5 at FitzHenry's Funeral Home in Gardnerville.

The service will be followed by a graveside Navy honor guard and the playing of 'Taps" at the Eastside Cemetery, also in Gardnerville.

Mr. Stout passed away on Sunday, February 21, 2010, at the Carson Tahoe Regional Health Care Center in Carson City. Mr. Stout had attained 83 years in this world.

Born in Oklahoma City on January 7, 1927, to Esta Mae and Guy Stout, Ben was the youngest of four children. His siblings: Robert "Bob" Stout, Elizabeth "Betty" Stout, and William "Bill" Stout.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Benjamin Stout had a distinguished career with the U.S. Navy for 30 years and served on six Navy ships. He earned multiple service medals, ribbons and stars. His last ship before retiring was the USS Galveston.

After retirement from the U.S. Navy, Mr. Stout had a second distinguished career as a technical writer for the Department of the Navy Civil Service (Fleet Combat Direction Systems Support Activity - FCDSSA) at Point Loma, Calif.

In Mr. Stout's own opinion, the greatest moment of his life was when he married his wife of 45 years, the witty and beautiful redhead, Katherine "Kay" C. Rodney-Stout. They met in Chicago in 1956 and were married there on January 19, 1957.

Ben Stout and his wife Kay created a beautiful home and life in Spring Valley, Calif., and when Ben retired, the couple decided to go adventuring. They moved to Gardnerville in 1988 and later to Longmont, Colo. It was there in Longmont on March 5, 2003 that Ben's precious wife passed away. She was buried at the Eastside Cemetery in Gardnerville.

After his wife's death, Mr. Stout fulfilled his promise to his wife to take care of their daughter, and then finally moved back to Gardnerville permanently, so he could visit his wife's grave daily.

Mr. Benjamin Stout was called "genius" by many and was a great thinker and reader of books all his life. He loved history and mysteries, and especially enjoyed the authors Rex Stout and the Durants. He was a talented golfer and a gifted writer, leaving many delightful short stories and poems.

But most of all, Mr. Benjamin Stout was a quiet, soft-spoken, immensely strong, modest and kind man.

Mr. Benjamin Stout is preceded in death by his parents; his wife Katherine C. Rodney-Stout; his brother Robert Stout, who was killed in the bombing of Pearl Harbor; and his sister, Betty Stout-Worden.

Mr. Benjamin Stout is survived by his adoring daughter Carolyn S. Foster, and his loving brother William Stout, who resides with his dear wife, Brenda Stout, in California.