By Deborah Larsen
Benjamin Jacob “Ben” Beaton
Benjamin Jacob “Ben” Beaton was born in Detroit, Michigan, on March 29, 1928, the son of Benjamin and Helena Schihl Beaton. The Beaton family moved to Rochester when Ben was a boy and lived on Castell Street. He attended Rochester High School and graduated in the class of 1945.
In the summer of 1945, at age 17, Ben enlisted in the U.S. Army. After participating in the Army Specialized Training Program at Michigan State University, he was stationed in Seoul, South Korea, where he served with the military police in the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Detachment.
In 1947, Ben returned to civilian life. He married his childhood sweetheart and earned a degree in business administration from Michigan State University. He started a career with Michigan Bell Telephone Company, eventually becoming the company’s pension fund manager and retiring after 30 years of service. In retirement, he lived in Bradenton, Florida.
Benjamin Jacob Beaton died at age 82 on July 13, 2010, and was laid to rest in Mount Avon Cemetery.