Benjamin Blair, of St. Clairsville, died Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. He was 85 years old.

A lifetime Ohio Valley resident, Ben's parents were Esther and Ruel Blair. As a young man he loved to explore, draw, and especially work on and race cars. Ben could fix just about anything and after he retired became an accomplished woodworker and furniture maker.

He loved going for long walks about town, stopping to chat with neighbors and people he met along the way, visiting Amish Country, and rooting on the St. Clairsville Red Devils football and basketball teams.

Ben graduated from St. Clairsville High School in 1954 and then served in the U.S. Army Reserves. He went to work for Wheeling-Pitt Steel and was an active member of his USW union. He later served as an officer in his union retiree group. Ben was a member of the East Richland Evangelical Friends Church.

In 1956, he met and fell in love with Anne Dalpiaz of Lafferty, Ohio. They married in August 1960, and have two sons, Brent and Daniel.

In addition to his wife and sons, Ben is mourned by his two grandsons, Sam and Alex Blair, his brothers Don, Gene, Jack and sisters Edna May Coward, Nettie Macklemore, and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings Bill, Carol Paglialunga, Catherine Poludniak, Evelyn Pickenpaugh, James, Judy Dombroski, Marcia Patterson, Raymond, and Robert.

A private service will be held on Jan. 27, 2023. A celebration of life will be at a later date.