Colonel Retire Jr.

Colonel Charles Benjamin "Ben" Coble, Jr., U.S. Army, Retired, age 90 formerly of 110 Glendale Ave., died Saturday, November 19, 2011 at White Oak Manor after several months of failing health. Born on a 72 acre vegetable farm in Alamance County on July 30, 1921, he was the son of the late C. B. Coble, Sr. and the late Myrtle Nicholson Coble. Ben graduated from Burlington High School in 1939 and entered North Carolina State University, where he was Vice-President Elect of the student body and President Elect of the "Golden Chain Honor Society". In April 1943 he was inducted into the U.S Army and during WWII he served in combat as a Lieutenant of an anti-tank company of the 89th Division of General George Patton's 3rd Army where he witnessed the liberation of the concentration "Death Camp" ORDORPH. After WWII, Ben returned to N.C. State, where he lettered in track as a mile and half-mile runner. He was elected as President of the Monogram Club in 1947 and was responsible for starting the first "Red and White" Spring Football Game. He also served on the student council and as President of the Agriculture Club. Ben remained active in the "Ready Reserve" and during the Korean War he was a Captain stationed at Fort Jackson, S.C. as commander of headquarter company. After his discharge he remained in the reserves where he attained the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves Retired. After the Korean War Ben was in poultry production on a farm near Mebane, NC. After three years his friend, Ed Hicklin, brought him into the Life Insurance business in 1956. He joined the local Burlington Association of Life Underwriters and served as President three times and the Community Service Chair for eighteen years, working on several local projects, including Hospice Flea Market, Red Cross Bloodmobile, Meals-on-Wheels and March of Dimes. He was appointed to the N.C. State Life Association as the Community Service Chair for three years and assisted many local associations to win the National Award for Community Services. The N.C. State Association named an award in his honor- the "Ben Coble Merit Award". Ben joined Toastmasters International in 1956 in Mebane, NC and later moved to Burlington, and served as President for both clubs. He was elected District 37 Governor in 1963-64 presiding over 103 clubs in North Carolina and also earned the highest achievement in Toastmasters the "Distinguished Toastmaster Award". Ben was a lifetime member of Front St. United Methodist Church, where he served as President and Sunday School teacher of the Builder Class and also as the President of the Men's Tuesday Morning Study Group. Ben was also a member of Walter B. Ellis Post 63 and the 40 and the 8 Society of the American Legion. Mr. Coble is survived by his fiance, Doreen McPherson Weston of Burlington; a son, Charles B. Coble, III of Burlington; a daughter, Jennifer Farmer of Arlington, VA; three grandchildren, Stephanie Coble, Stephen Coble and Nick Coble, all of Raleigh; and two sisters, Marjorie Coble McDaniel of Covina, CA and Elizabeth Coble Glenn of Midland, TX. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Kenneth L. Coble and Don T. Coble. A memorial service will be conducted at 11:00 AM Monday, November 28, 2011 at Front St. United Methodist Church by Rev. Marshall Old. The family will receive friends after the service in the Heritage Center and other times at the son's home, 1953 Shirley Dr., Burlington. There will be a military enurnment service at 9:30 Monday morning before the service at Alamance Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Rd., Burlington, NC 27215 or to Meals-on-Wheels, 411 W. Fifth St, Suite A, Burlington, NC 27215. You may sign the online register book at www.lowefuneralhome.com