User talk:Bkokochak
Is Ben 'sposed to have the CompOps Hall of Honor Award as well?
Steve
- DONE
Noreascom Four Memorium web entry
The 62nd World Science Fiction Convention
- Sept. 2-6, 2004 Boston, MA
- Listing:
Ben Kokochak
- Star Trek fan. SFI's highest award for Ship's Counselors has been renamed in his honor.
- b. 19 Jan 1982, d. 16 Sept. 2003
- nomination by Craig Miller [craig@wolfmill.com]
Ben Kokochak 1/19/1982 - 9/16/2003
- Star Trek fan
- Starfleet International
- Starfleet Marines
SFI's highest award for Ship's Counselors has been renamed in his honor.
- [ September 2003 news page]
Furman.org memorials
- Copied from: http://furmen.org/morale/memorials/bkokochak.htm
Ben Kokochak 1/19/1982 - 9/16/2003 SFI/SFMC/SFSO
Official Obituary:
Press Journal obituaries:
September 18, 2003
Benjamin Kokochak,
Sebastian
Benjamin Leighton "Ben" Kokochak, 21, died unexpectedly Sept. 16, 2003, at Sebastian River Medical Center, Roseland.
He moved to Sebastian 13 years ago from Beckley, W.Va.
Mr. Kokochak was attending Indian River Community College where he was a junior in the School of Graphic Design, and a member of the Graphic Design Club. He was a member of Cornerstone Baptist Fellowship of Sebastian, and was active in ministering and counseling within the church. He was a graduate of Sebastian River High School, Class of 2001. He was a volunteer student aide at the North Indian River County Library.
Survivors are his parents, Jeannie and Warren Kokochak, of Sebastian; one brother, Aaron Kokochak, of Sebastian; and grandmother, Yvonne Moore, of Sebastian.
Donations may be made to Care Net Pregnancy Centers of Indian River County, 1503 24th St., Vero Beach, Fla. 32960, in Mr. Kokochak's memory.
SERVICE: A memorial service will be held 7 p.m. Tuesday at Cornerstone Baptist Fellowship, with the Rev. James Wingate officiating. Arrangements by Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian
From Dennis Rayburn:
I've been a minister for over 23 years now and this just gets harder and harder.
The news about Ben Kokochak's passing hit me tonight like a thunderbolt. Dear Lord, 21 years and you're just getting good and started on this piece of solar driftwood we call Earth. To see his light go out so young is absolutely crushing.
In any project I took on, I could count on a private email from him, volunteering to help, and ready to start. Many times, he was a sounding board for me when I would come up with one of my famous (and some infamous) hair brained ideas. He was a patient soul, telling me when an idea was good, and giving it to me straight when it was not.
When the decision was made to start Corpschat, Ben was there, ready to help and serving as a list moderator, and as an op in the IRC channel with the same name. When things got tough for us, he was there, giving encouragement and help every step of the way. When things got the blackest and nasty for us in there, he stood with us.
Several have already commented on his talent with graphics. We in SFSO know about that so well, as Ben designed our logo for us, enduring a lot of change requests from me and the council members.
However, whatever the change we threw at him, he always came through with flying colors. We in SFSO will cherish that logo as a legacy from him to us.
One thing about Ben that speaks volumes about him is that when things were thrown at him, he kept on. He showed courage in the truest sense of the word.
When things were bad for him and his family, he turned to us and thankfully, STARFLEET came through again and aided one who gave unselfishly to us.
Now, he is gone, in the hands of the One who dries all the tears, heals the broken heart, and cares for every need and we commend his spirit and soul to the care of the Maker of All Things.
Today, STARFLEET mourns the loss of a very talented member.
Me? I mourn the loss of some who bore a title I just don't bestow that often.............I mourn the loss of a friend.
BGN Dennis Rayburn Commanding Officer, STARFLEET Special Operations Chief of Chaplains/Counselors, STARFLEET
From Gary "Tiny" Hollifield:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As I logged into IRC this evening, I was greeted with some horrific news as I am sure everyone else already knows. Ben Kokochak has left us.
I am not as prolific with words as Dennis is, but I wanted to voice my own thoughts about Ben. He was a warm person...loving, caring, all the attributes that makes him invaluable as a friend. But Ben was more than a friend to me.
He was someone I turned to when I had ideas and needed someone to tell me go forward or back off. He was someone whom I had deep conversations with about life in general, politics, or even crunchy versus creamy peanut butter. My point is, he was always there for me.
We were making plans to actually meet face to face at the next IC or a regional fling. Unfortunately that will never transpire. The world has yet again lost a solid light of love and friendship with the passing of Benjamin Kokochak, and my heart has lost another piece of itself.
Ben, please know that as I write this with the tears of love and grief coursing over my face, I know you are better off not confined to a wheel chair, not having health problems, and finally knowing peace in your life.
"Go rest high on that mountain, for son your work on earth is done."
Never truer.
We love you Ben. This is not good bye, only Until we meet again.
In Service, Captain Gary "Tiny" Hollifield, SFMC-R Commanding Officer, Shuttle Hell's Fury Officer In Charge, 5th BN/1st BDE, The Lunatics "What you want is irrelevant, what you've chosen is at hand!" CrazyColonel_5thBN@msn.com
From Christopher "Whiteknight" Esquibel:
As one of Ben' COs and friend, his present will be surely missed.
I had talked to him just only three days ago and never knew his problem were that serious. I have to admit, I am extremely confused at this time, as I morn the lost of one of the best people that has served under me, and who has been a friend to me over the years.
I am really at a lost for words here.........so I will just close with this:
Ben, a gentle soul from where the sun shines brightly upon, guiding and protecting him to the promise land to where he will find peace. Ben will always be with us as long as we remember him and from one soul to another, safe journey's my friend, you will be remembered!
Christopher "Whiteknight" Esquibel whiteknight1a@earthlink.net
From The Flynn Family (Ben's Neighbors)
Ben Kokochak, his little brother Aaron and parents Jeannie and Warren were the first people I met when I married my husband and moved into our Sebastian neighborhood 5 years ago. My husband, Bill Flynn has lived next to the Kokochak family for 13 years and their younger son, Aaron, grew up with his son Peter. As such, we had many years to get to know Ben and his family.
Ben Kokochak is made up of all the wonderful things you have heard about him and then some. He has a heat of gold and would give you the shirt off his back. He was always willing to help out with the latest computer problem and was a big help when it came to keep tracking of our son, Peter. Ben was one of the most intelligent and talented people you would ever want to meet.
Even outside your group, it was obviously that Ben had a tremendous love for his fellow man and cared about what went on in his community. His parent, Jeannie and Warren are of the kind heart and soul that Benjamin is.
They were the first to welcome me to the neighborhood and to this day, when I'm feeling a little lost or homesick, they continue to remind me how welcome I am.
Our neighborhood will surely miss seeing the smile face of Ben Kokochak strolling down the block in his wheel chair, or driving down the street in his van with a smile of pride that he so very much deserved to wear. We will miss taking our mini doxie, "Toggles" down to see Ben. Even our little four legged friend was aware of the kind and wonderful soul that Benjamin is.
Our family cannot think of Ben in the past tense, Ben "is", this is what Ben would want us to remember. Ben has moved on to a special wonderful place that he so truly believed in and he smiles down upon each and every one of us, just he smiled directly at us when he was here with us.
Sincerely, The Flynn Family Bill, Missy, Sarah, Peter & Toggles
Music played at online Memorial 9/21/03 (Zip file contains 6 midi files)
SETI at home participant
Apparently Ben was a participant with SETI as well...
The SETI@home Class of Jun 17 1999
- Last Modified: Thu Jan 12 01:40:33 2006 UTC
http://seticlassic.ssl.berkeley.edu/classpages/days/2451347.html
Name (and URL)
- Benjamin Kokochak
Date First Registered
- Thu Jun 17 13:29:22 1999
Date Last Result Received
- Thu Nov 25 05:47:06 1999
Results received
- 2
Total CPU time Average
- 344 hr 22 min
CPU time per work unit
- 172 hr 11 min 11.5 sec
Country
- United States
