Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituary: Newkirk, Benjamin

NEWKIRK, Benjamin Benjamin Newkirk, 39, was born in Quito, Ecuador.

Jon and Hazel Newkirk adopted Ben when he was six weeks old.

He and his parents and brother lived in a little village in upstate New York where they were able to have sheep, chickens, a dog and a cat in their back yard.

Ben loved to be outdoors with the animals.

Ben moved to Pullman, WA with his family in 1984 so his father could attend graduate school.

The family settled in Cheney, WA in 1989.

Ben graduated from CHS and moved to Bellevue, WA where he worked and attended Bellevue Community College.

During that time he made friends with people who loved to hike in the mountains.

He hiked with these friends and found that he wanted to hike and climb as much as possible.

His life took on new meaning as he learned more about climbing mountains and thru hiking.

Hiking and mountain climbing became his passion, he worked to live, and he lived to hike and climb.

In 2008 he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexican to the Canadian borders.

He completed the Continental Divide Trail from Glacier National Park to the Mexican border in 2011.

In 2013 he did the PCT again.

Each time he made new and wonderful friends.

He moved to Bend, Oregon in 2008 where he could have lots of sunshine and be close to the many mountains of Central Oregon and Washington.

He climbed, some multiple times, the highest peaks in five Western States.

He hiked and slept out in the Three Sisters Wilderness as often as he could.

Ben fell on November 12th while hiking with a friend on the Middle Sister Mountain, on a clear and climber-friendly night.

A storm the following day complicated and delayed the search.

His body was recovered four days later by a group from the Eugene Mountain Rescue Team supported by the 304th Rescue Squadron of the Oregon Air National Guard.

Ben is survived by his loving family, Hazel Newkirk, Jon Newkirk, Elaine Mayes, and brother, Tim Newkirk.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 29th, at 1:30 pm at Latah Presbyterian Church, 202 E. Meadowlane Road.

A fund for a legacy will be established at a later time for donations in lieu of flowers.