Ben served in the US Air Force for four years, honorably discharged in 1952 as a Staff Sergeant; he taught radar. He married the love of his life, Lila Mae Hamilton, in 1952 while he was stationed at MacDill AFB. They lived in Robstown TX where he worked as a TV & radio repairman. They came back to Tampa in 1954; he owned and operated B&B Electronics, changing it to B&B Alarms in the mid 1960s. He was known as Tex at Tampa Fire Department, where he served from 1955 to his retirement in 1976.
Ben and Lila Mae traveled the US extensively, cruised to many ports around the world, and loved spending time at their cabin in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. They square danced all over this country and Canada; past presidents of the Florida Association of National Square Dance Campers. They were instrumental in organizing both the Temple Twirlers Square Dance Club and Strawberry Travelers Square Dance Campers Club; he was a past president of both clubs.
He was a member of Carrollwood Baptist Church and attended Shoal Creek Baptist Church when in Whittier NC; Hillsborough Lodge #25 F. & A.M, Scottish Rite, Egypt Temple Shrine (Keystone Cops unit when he was active), Past Patron of Tampa Chapter #11 Order of the Eastern Star, and the Kentucky Colonels.
Ben was a kind, sweet, honorable, humble man, devoted to his family and friends, and he loved the Lord above all. He enjoyed playing pranks on coworkers and friends which garnered him the label of The White Phantom at the fire station. He liked a challenge of his skills and would fix things rather than buy new, including making tools to fix things; he was an inventor. If he didn't know how to do something, he learned how. He built two of their homes plus the cabin.
A graveside service celebrating his life was held October 22 at 1:30 PM, at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. A procession from Adams & Jennings Funeral Home to the cemetery was led by Patriot Guard Riders. Due to COVID-19, wearing a mask was required; for that reason, there was not be a visitation with family.
Ben and Lila Mae traveled the US extensively, cruised to many ports around the world, and loved spending time at their cabin in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. They square danced all over this country and Canada; past presidents of the Florida Association of National Square Dance Campers. They were instrumental in organizing both the Temple Twirlers Square Dance Club and Strawberry Travelers Square Dance Campers Club; he was a past president of both clubs.
He was a member of Carrollwood Baptist Church and attended Shoal Creek Baptist Church when in Whittier NC; Hillsborough Lodge #25 F. & A.M, Scottish Rite, Egypt Temple Shrine (Keystone Cops unit when he was active), Past Patron of Tampa Chapter #11 Order of the Eastern Star, and the Kentucky Colonels.
Ben was a kind, sweet, honorable, humble man, devoted to his family and friends, and he loved the Lord above all. He enjoyed playing pranks on coworkers and friends which garnered him the label of The White Phantom at the fire station. He liked a challenge of his skills and would fix things rather than buy new, including making tools to fix things; he was an inventor. If he didn't know how to do something, he learned how. He built two of their homes plus the cabin.
A graveside service celebrating his life was held October 22 at 1:30 PM, at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. A procession from Adams & Jennings Funeral Home to the cemetery was led by Patriot Guard Riders. Due to COVID-19, wearing a mask was required; for that reason, there was not be a visitation with family.
Ben served in the US Air Force for four years, honorably discharged in 1952 as a Staff Sergeant; he taught radar. He married the love of his life, Lila Mae Hamilton, in 1952 while he was stationed at MacDill AFB. They lived in Robstown TX where he worked as a TV & radio repairman. They came back to Tampa in 1954; he owned and operated B&B Electronics, changing it to B&B Alarms in the mid 1960s. He was known as Tex at Tampa Fire Department, where he served from 1955 to his retirement in 1976.
Ben and Lila Mae traveled the US extensively, cruised to many ports around the world, and loved spending time at their cabin in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. They square danced all over this country and Canada; past presidents of the Florida Association of National Square Dance Campers. They were instrumental in organizing both the Temple Twirlers Square Dance Club and Strawberry Travelers Square Dance Campers Club; he was a past president of both clubs.
He was a member of Carrollwood Baptist Church and attended Shoal Creek Baptist Church when in Whittier NC; Hillsborough Lodge #25 F. & A.M, Scottish Rite, Egypt Temple Shrine (Keystone Cops unit when he was active), Past Patron of Tampa Chapter #11 Order of the Eastern Star, and the Kentucky Colonels.
Ben was a kind, sweet, honorable, humble man, devoted to his family and friends, and he loved the Lord above all. He enjoyed playing pranks on coworkers and friends which garnered him the label of The White Phantom at the fire station. He liked a challenge of his skills and would fix things rather than buy new, including making tools to fix things; he was an inventor. If he didn't know how to do something, he learned how. He built two of their homes plus the cabin.
A graveside service celebrating his life was held October 22 at 1:30 PM, at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. A procession from Adams & Jennings Funeral Home to the cemetery was led by Patriot Guard Riders. Due to COVID-19, wearing a mask was required; for that reason, there was not be a visitation with family.
Ben and Lila Mae traveled the US extensively, cruised to many ports around the world, and loved spending time at their cabin in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. They square danced all over this country and Canada; past presidents of the Florida Association of National Square Dance Campers. They were instrumental in organizing both the Temple Twirlers Square Dance Club and Strawberry Travelers Square Dance Campers Club; he was a past president of both clubs.
He was a member of Carrollwood Baptist Church and attended Shoal Creek Baptist Church when in Whittier NC; Hillsborough Lodge #25 F. & A.M, Scottish Rite, Egypt Temple Shrine (Keystone Cops unit when he was active), Past Patron of Tampa Chapter #11 Order of the Eastern Star, and the Kentucky Colonels.
Ben was a kind, sweet, honorable, humble man, devoted to his family and friends, and he loved the Lord above all. He enjoyed playing pranks on coworkers and friends which garnered him the label of The White Phantom at the fire station. He liked a challenge of his skills and would fix things rather than buy new, including making tools to fix things; he was an inventor. If he didn't know how to do something, he learned how. He built two of their homes plus the cabin.
A graveside service celebrating his life was held October 22 at 1:30 PM, at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. A procession from Adams & Jennings Funeral Home to the cemetery was led by Patriot Guard Riders. Due to COVID-19, wearing a mask was required; for that reason, there was not be a visitation with family.
Inscription
BENJAMIN BAKER RISINGER JR
SSGT
US AIR FORCE
KOREA
DEC 17 1929
OCT 10 2020
BELOVED HUSBAND
FATHER & POPPI
