In Memoriam

R. Bennett Day

Ben Day matriculated with the Yale Class of 1964 in 1960, but spent only one year at Yale. According to his write-up in our 50th Reunion Class Book, he went on to receive a BS in psychology from Columbia in 1967 and an MLS from Columbia in 1973. Here is his obituary, published in Tribute Archive.

Obituary

After a hard-fought five-year battle with Stage IV cancer, Ben Day passed gently from sleep to rest on January 18, 2022, at his home in Plymouth, MA. Ben was born in Connecticut on October 12, 1941. Both his birth family and the family who adopted him when he was a toddler endowed him with a great set of skills and opportunities. Both families produced more than the average share of ministers, teachers, and advocates for social justice. Ben was especially proud that his father used his position on the Yale Corporation to convince the school to award Martin Luther King, Jr., a well-deserved honorary doctorate.

Raised in New England, Ben loved the ocean and the natural beauty of each of its states. He had a passion for sports, boats, motorcycles, and cars, all of which he enjoyed until just a few months before he died. Everyone close to him, including his doctors, marveled at his tenacious spirit and dry wit. Whether he was joking that two-thirds of his wives went to the University of Chicago or that he had been tossed out of some of the finest schools in the country, he quickly put people at ease with his humor.

Despite those bumps along his educational journey, Ben eventually received a degree in library sciences and delved into photography and multimedia productions. He learned a lot, too, from his marriages. From his first wife, he learned a deep appreciation of the Spanish language. From his second, he gained a greater appreciation of the nation’s national parks. From his third, he learned the joy of world travel and the pleasure of parenting.

At the tender age of 66, Ben adopted his adult stepchildren, Marnie and Matt. After he moved to Plymouth, he enjoyed the opportunity to help coach the girls’ tennis teams at both Plymouth North and Plymouth South High School. He was impressed with the intelligence and skills the girls brought to the court and will carry into their careers. It filled him with endless pride to don the titles “Dad” and “Coach.”

Ben is survived by his wife, Roxie, their two children, and his older brother, Jonathan. He also leaves behind many close friends. Some were childhood and teenage friends from Shady Hills, Westminster, Yale, and Columbia. Others were newer friends from NH and Southern Massachusetts. His friends and loved ones are too many to list, but he held their memory close until his final days, even as the pandemic kept them apart.

Because of the impact of COVID on gatherings, celebrations of Ben’s life will be held during the springtime. For those wishing to honor Ben, donations can be made to Feeding America, your local food bank, or to MSPCA Angell.