Benjamin H. Mead, 86, died February 10, 1989, at Hearthstone Care Center, Sun City, Arizona.

Mr. Mead began his career as a high school teacher and coach at Laurel, Nebraska, in 1925, and left in 1928 to become superintendent and coach at Fort Calhoun until 1934 when he moved to Long Pine.

Mr. Mead was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He received degrees from the University of Omaha, University of Wyoming, and Stanford University, and served as a teacher, coach, and administrator for forty-seven years in Nebraska, Wyoming and Alaska public schools.

He was an emeritus member of the Stanford Chapter of the professional fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa; a life member of the American Association of School Administrators and the National Education Association. While serving as president of Nebraska Schoolmasters Club, he received an appointment as Admiral in the Great Navy of the state of Nebraska from Governor Val Peterson in recognition of his contribution to education.

He was a member of the Estes Park, Colorado, Lodge No. 183, A.F.&A.M., Life Members Scottish Rite, of Juneau Valley, Alaska, and member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Estes Park. He was a member of Kiwanis Clubs in Nebraska and Alaska, Lions Clubs in Nebraska and Colorado, Elks Club in Nebraska and the Bell Shuffleboard Club in Sun City.

For eleven summers he was assigned to the Bear Lake Ranger Station in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

He retired from school work in June in 1972, and moved to Estes Park, Colorado in 1973. In 1978 he moved to Sun City.

He was married to Beatrice Dinkel in 1928. She survives, as does a son Richard B. Mead, Grand Junction, Colorado; daughters Shirley Mead-Mezzeta of Millbae, California, and Marilyn Mead-Stoppel of Lawrence, Kansas; and grandchildren, Craig and Lori Stoppel of Lawrence, Kansas.

A memorial service will be held at Willowbrook United Methodist Church Saturday, February 18 at 2 p.m.

Remains will be interred in the Columbarium of the Community Church of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colorado.

Memorials may be made to that church, or to Willowbrook United Methodist Church of Sun City, of which he was a member, or to the American Cancer Society.

Arrangements were by Sunland Mortuary.