Ben Entwistle

Ben Entwistle was born on April 18, 1988, the first of five kids born to Dan and Lynda Entwistle – but more importantly was born into the family of God when he put his faith in Jesus at a young age. In his 20 years he lived life to the full, and his ceaseless optimism and out-going social personality won him friends and respect wherever he went. And he went allover! At age 12, he went with his family to Liverpool, England where his dad, a pediatrician, would take a tropical medicine course in preparation for missionary medicine. Following this, the family moved to Londrina, Brazil, for almost a year where Ben and his siblings entered a school taught in Portuguese while his parents also studied Portuguese. The family then relocated to Mocimboa da Praia, Mozambique to begin medical ministry alongside Ben’s uncle and family among the coastal Mwani people group. Ben was always involved in sports – soccer and rugby especially. He contracted rheumatic fever which damaged a heart valve and four years ago underwent open heart surgery in Philadelphia for repair. All went well, and Ben returned to Rugby and soccer in six months. After graduation from Rift Valley Academy in Kenya, he entered Covenant College where he began his study of economics. After completing his sophomore year, he went to Kenya to celebrate the graduation of his brother and great bud Jesse – a graduation he would never get to witness as he developed an infection of his heart valve that resulted in a stroke suffered on July 11, 2008. After three days of hospitalization in Kenya and during an emergency medical flight to seek surgical care in Johannesburg, S. Africa, Ben passed into eternity. The funeral is scheduled for July 26, 2008, at 1 p.m. at Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church in Lexington. His entire family, including brothers and sister, Jesse, Lucy, Seth and Michael, along with the extended family on both Dan and Lynda’s sides will be attending. He will always be remembered not just for his out-going personality, huge grin, and optimism but also for the way he lived out his faith transparently - honoring God and touching lives for good wherever he went. He will be greatly missed – though in light of eternity, only temporarily!