Ben K. Wardlaw, 73 of Ocala, FL passed away on August 26, 2021. He was born Beverly Kenneth, Jr. in Miami, FL on March 13, 1948, the only child of Beverly Kenneth, Sr. and Louise Opal (Sneed) Wardlaw.
Ben was raised in Miami, FL and in 1969 attended the University of Florida where he developed a love for the Florida Gators and college football. He moved throughout the Southeast during his career, but in retirement decided to return to Florida where he held fond memories of his childhood and meeting his wife Bunny, the love of his life, in 1964 in Hialeah, FL.
His strong faith in God and Jesus Christ drove him to be involved at churches in every city he lived. Ben had a passion for studying religion and being involved in Christian ministry. He invested his time in Promise Keepers and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to share his faith with others, so it’s appropriate that his favorite passage was Matthew 28:19.
Ben had a love of the West and dreamed of living in Westcliffe, CO. He and his wife are founding members of the Booth Western Museum in Cartersville, GA where he volunteered as a docent. He also enjoyed Western art, pottery, sculptures, and movies. His interest in the West grew to include Arabian horses, and Border Collies, known for their herding ability.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 55 years, Bunny (Tellalian) Wardlaw; his son, Pete Wardlaw and wife Kathy of Marietta, GA; daughter, Sarah Jones and husband Bobby of Athens, GA; grandchildren Andrew & SarahJane Wardlaw and Henry Jones; sister-in-law Jacqueline Tellalian of New York, NY; sister-in-law Christina Mulvihill and husband Jason of Arlington, VA; brother-in-law Gary Tellalian of Los Angeles, CA; aunt Jane and uncle Bob LaBruto of Hollywood, FL; Border Collies, Maggie, Rocky, Cash & Evie; Cats, Fred & Ricky and many other friends and relatives.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ben’s memory to the Booth Museum (boothmuseum.org), Tim Tebow Foundation (timtebowfoundation.org) or Underdogs Rescue (underdogsrescue.org).