Obituary of Benjamin Ford Mathis

Benjamin Ford Mathis, talent for machinery Benjamin Ford Mathis was methodical, a person who liked to figure out how things worked and disliked leaving anything to chance. That made him an expert repairman and a vacation planner extraordinaire. For a trip to Cape Cod this summer - his fourth with his wife, Cynthia Beach Mathis - he already knew where they'd eat their first meal and what he would have there. "He wanted to each at Lobster Town," she said. "... He wanted two big orders of their famous scallops." Mr. Mathis, of Independence, died in a car accident on Ky. 212 in Boone County on Thursday. He was 56. His career revolved around machinery. He was a Vietnam veteran who had been an electronics specialist in the U.S. Navy. After the service, he worked for General Electric as a repairman, then for Cincinnati Gears. When that company shut down, he got a job with FedEx as a machine maintenance repairman. "He had one of those minds that he could pick things apart," said Mr. Mathis' wife, Cynthia Mathis. "He could rewire anything." His mechanical fascination even facilitated his second marriage. His future wife worked for a company that bought and sold machines; he worked for one that repaired them. "We spoke the same language," she said. They had both been married before, and met at a Parents Without Partners meeting. It was a match that led to a Valentine's day wedding and a marriage that lasted more than 15 years. Her husband was quiet but loving, Cynthia Mathis said. He was an avid outdoorsman. He was an expert water skier and enjoyed slalom skiing and he and his wife frequently went camping. He loved music and had been a drummer in a band called the Tempoes, toured with them during the '70s, and still enjoyed the occasional solo. "I'd find him up in the attic playing his drums sometimes," Cynthia Mathis said. Surviving in addition to his wife are a son, Matthew Ford Mathis of Florence; daughters, Elizabeth Marie Mathis Adkins of Morehead and Kathryn Rose Mathis Frederick of Nicholasville; a brother, Fred Mathis of Frankfort; and two grandchildren. Services will be at 5 p.m. Sunday at Beechgrove Baptist Church, Independence. Visitation will begin there at 3 p.m. Sunday. Mr. Mathis will be cremated. Memorials are suggested to Beechgrove Baptist Church, 450 Independence Station Road, Independence, Ky. 41051. Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence, is handling the arrangements.