Ben Matlock

June 5, 1947 - July 18, 2023

Ben touched countless lives in his 76 years and we will miss him dearly. Ben had an eye for beauty and a knack for creating it. He was a wonderful friend and mentor, and helped people find the spiritual in the everyday. He was also a dedicated partner and husband to Ted.

Ben pursued and enjoyed learning in academic settings, and appreciated opportunities to put his education into practice, whether it was his master’s in business administration, talents in the German language, or the spiritual lessons he collected over his many decades. Ben was inspired by the American Civil Rights Movement, and with his husband Ted supported Camphill’s Racial Justice Group. Ben also had a lovely tenor singing voice and was a great asset to the Village choir.

After being raised an only child, Ben sought community and opportunities for community

building over his lifetime. He loved his family, and was inspired by the goodness and spirit of his former wife, DeLayne. He was very close to his son Adam and Adam’s wife Eliza. Ben, an only child, helped to parent the many children —often from Africa—that DeLayne invited into their home. They fostered children from Eritrea, Uganda, Botswana, and Malawi.

As a young man, Ben’s deep spirituality led him from his hometown in Missouri to a Roman Catholic seminary in Virginia, where he realized within a year that he didn’t want to pursue life in the priesthood. Ben’s ability for identifying the need for reform led to several changes in the seminary’s policies.

He sought community—and community with meaning— in every step of his life. This included during the 20 years he spent working for the United States Air Force in Wiesbaden Germany. There, he made many German friends, and joined a theater group. Later, while working as the business manager for the Episcopal Divinity School in Boston, he became involved in the Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist community in Cambridge.

By this time Ben and Ted had finally gotten together. They had met in Rome when Ben was 40, but saw each only very occasionally. Then there was a period of eight years when there was no contact at all. Coming together finally with Ted, his true partner, when he was 50 years old was liberating. While on a Buddhist retreat in France, Ben and Ted met Marc Blachere from our community. They were very curious, and it wasn’t long before they had visited and then settled in the Village. They led Kaspar House, one of our care houses, with joy and enthusiasm for 12 years before retiring to Willow House five years ago.

Ben’s heart, good nature, intellect and warmth welcomed many friends of all ages and backgrounds into his life at every stage. He was a problem solver and a gifted communicator. Each of us is fortunate to have shared a space with Ben in this community.