Benjamin Harrison Pace, III
December 16, 1938 ~ March 25, 2013
Resided in:
Candler, NC
Benjamin Harrison Pace, III, died Monday, March 25, 2013, at Memorial Mission Hospital, after a well fought and gallant battle. Ben was the son of the late Benjamin H. Pace, II, and Dorothy Simmers Pace.
Ben is survived by his wife of 34 years, Jamie D. Pace, as well as two daughters: Michelle Pace Wood and husband Gary of Candler, and Lucille Pace Miller and husband Keith of Newnan, Georgia. Also surviving is his very dear granddaughter, Emma Camille Wood. A sister, Pat Loflin, and cousins Thomas L. Thrash, Lee Pace Brawley, and William J. Teague also survive.
Ben often spent summers in the Candler area with his great grandparents Lee and Nellie Thrash and Uncle Jay and Lucille Pace. He loved to talk about the summers he spent at Lake Junaluska helping his Uncle Dale and Aunt Mary Thrash at Lakeside Lodges.
Ben lived with his mother's sister and husband Virginia and Edward Teague during high school and graduated from Calvert County High School on the Chesapeake Bay. From there, he received a B.S. Degree in Biology from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland where he was captain of the cross country and track team.
Following graduation, Ben enlisted in the United States Navy, attaining the rank of L.T.J.G. He served on the USS Okinawa during the Cuban Missile Crisis and on the Admiral's Staff of the Atlantic Fleet.
After the service, Ben worked 12 years for Sun Oil Company and progressed to become the corporation's sales manager for a three-state region.
In 1976, Ben returned to Asheville to establish his own business. The first Country Food Stores opened in March 1977, and was located on the former site of his family's home place. Over the next 35 years, Ben grew his dream to include 16 convenient stores, as well as branching out into real estate investing. Ben was selected in 1986 as Entrepreneur of the Year by the Western Carolina Entrepreneurial Council. Ben believed in serving his community and thoroughly enjoyed his many years on the MSD board of directors. In addition, he served as a member of the Buncombe County Community School Advisory Council, and was a board member of BOOST, presently known as Mountain Mobility. Ben was a graduate of Leadership Asheville V, a member of Riverlink, a board member of the Council of Independent Business Owners, and was both a trustee and finance committee member for Montmorenci United Methodist Church. Ben was a member of the VFW, past president of the Enka-Candler Business Association, and a licensed Real Estate Broker. He also founded and was a sponsor of "The Knot Hole Gang" providing the joy of the Tourist baseball to many young children in our region.
In addition to this extraordinary work, he was a founding member of the Buncombe County Democratic Men's Club, and ran for County Commissioner in 1980 and again in 1984. After this, he ran for NC State House in 1996. Ben put his all into strengthening the Buncombe County Democratic Party. Ben was a faithful Democrat and great lover of politics.
However most importantly Ben Pace was a man of his word, who loved life, silently helped many people, and offered many people a second chance to succeed. He lived by the golden rule, and was a man of great integrity.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at Montmorenci United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Lisa Hartzog Hannah and Dr. Duke Ison officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow at Acton United Methodist Church Cemetery.
His family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Ave.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Upper Hominy Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 190, Candler, NC 28715, and/or to Montmorenci United Methodist Church, PO Box 610, Candler, NC 28715.
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Ben was a good man and will be missed.
Dear Michelle and family,
My thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of the loss of your Father. You will miss him so much, but may you be comforted by knowing what a big heart he had and how many people he touched with kindness and with love.
Michelle, he was so proud of you.
And he loved his family dearly.
He will be missed in the community, and in the Democratic party, but he leaves many good and kind memories for all of us.
Fondly,
Myra Ramsey
From all the wonderful things I have heard and read about Ben, I can see he was a wonderful man.He will be missed by so many.
Our family is all too familiar with what you are now feeling. But this too shall pass. He will be missed. We are all holding him to the light. We are also thinking of your entire family.
I considered Ben a good and faithful friend, who embodied the spirit of kindness, competence, and service we should all strive for. A true gentleman, and a blessing to all who knew him.
Michelle and all family members, my thoughts are with you at this sad time. Your wonderful memories will stay with you forever as will Ben.
I did not know Mr. Pace personally but I do know his daughter, Lucille. He had to be a marvelous man to have raised such an outstanding young woman. His dedication to serving his community is exceptional in this age of not getting involved. To have a reputation of living with integrity speaks so well of his character. Our prayers are with all the family – his dear wife, his loving daughters and their husbands, grand daughter, and all surviving relatives. God bless you and keep you all. May memories of happier times bring you comfort.
Jamie, Michelle and Family:
A Giant Oak has fallen and we are all hurt by the loss. Ben was truly larger than life. He helped so very many people and will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Of course, Ben is smiling down on you and I hope he is with old friends.
Steve Cogburn
Ben, it was an honor and a privelege to know you. Thank you for your perspective and wise counsel, and for some good laughs. And thanks, especially, for your two wonderful daughters. You have all made my life richer, and I am grateful.
Your friend, Gus
Sorry to hear that.
I am so sorry about Ben passing. It hurts my heart. Bless you and may God with you and rest of family
Sending our love and prayers to the Pace family. Ben will be greatly missed by all who know him. Though He is resting now and in peace, he will continue to live on through his daughters. One of the qualities about Ben was his great integrity and love of life as well as a good debate on the war or politcs. Ben passed those onto Michelle and Lucille. We thank you Ben for giving us ‘Damn Yankees’ Lucille, for installing in her your great honor, fight and love for life.
May you rest in peace and God be with you.
Our heartfelt sympathy, Lucille, and our condolences to your family. May the memories of your father bring you comfort during this sad time. God be with you all. Roger and Glenna With
Our sincere sympathy to Harrison’s family. Bootsy graduated with Harrison from Calvert County High School in 1957. May God be with you all.
I am so thankful for having the
opportunity to work with Ben at
Pisgah Elemrntary. He and Jamie
were wonderful leaders in the
s
chool and community and I will
never forget their support and
encouragement during my service
as Principal at Pisgah.My sincere
sympathy to Jamie and daughters and
other family. Sincerely Bob Embler
my condolences. I enjoyed my time
in high school with Harrison and at the reunions with Ben. It seems he always remained Harrison to the
classmates. He will be missed at the next reunion.
Our sincere sympathy to the family,we know that he will be missed by family,classmates and friends. We have lots of fine memories from our high school days with Harrison. We both were in class with him. Enjoyed seeing him at the class reunions.
I graduated with Harrison from CCHS and my mother was his Latin teacher as well as mine. Have good memories of our high school days, enjoyed visiting with him over the years at reunions and know he will be missed by his many friends and family
Our Heartfelt Condolences to the Pace Family. It is obvious that a truly Great Man has been called to sit with God. May Jamie, Michelle, and Lucille as well as the Rest of the Pace Family and Chandler Community know he is in Heaven now and no longer in pain. God Bless You All!
Dear Michelle,
Ben was every inch a strong and kind-hearted gentleman.
He will be greatly missed. Know that your family will be in our prayers at this sad and difficult time.
Ben and I were classmates in High school. I am saddened to hear of his passing. My condolences to his wife and family, we shall miss him.
Duane
We will always remember Ben as a kind and gentle hearted person. Michelle, our hearts and prayers go out for you and the other members of the family.
David and Kathy
We will always remember Ben as a kind and gentle hearted person. Michelle, our hearts and prayers go out for you and the other members of the family.
David and Kathy
Michelle and all the family,
I grew up with Harrison during the summers he spent in the Candler area. I remember him calling me one night an telling me about his thoughts of opening a Country Food Store and asking me what I thought about it. He ran cross country in college, and during those summers I remember running with him all around the Sand Hill area. He will be greatly missed, and my thoughts and prayers are for you in your loss. God Bless You
Bill Best
Attended Calvert County High School together and got re-acquainted with him at the 50th anniversary reunion. Enjoyed him a lot. Sorry to hear of his passing – he will be missed.
Jamie and family – I so wish we could be there. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. We have so many memories of you and Ben. He was quite the character! We so enjoyed dinners at your home and time spent at church. Please give Cille a hug for us (Howard has already sent well wishes on Facebook). We miss Candler and all of our friends more than you know. Please know that we are thinking of all of you right now.
Love, Howard and Pam
Our prayers are with each of you during this sad time.
RIP our friend. From the members ofthe Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.
Jamie, Lucille, and Michelle –
Our heartfelt condolences go to you and your family. Ben was a great man with an incredible legacy. I remember my grandparents, Donald and Doris Wright being incredibly fond of Ben and his work with the Democratic Party. We will be praying for all of you through this time.
DJ, Rebecca, Colin & Katelyn Fish
As an Employee of the Metropolitan Sewerage District it was my pleasure to serve under Ben’s leadership. He was one of the Board that fought tirelessly for the employees. My respect and condolences.
Michael Schraven
My deepest sympathy to Jamie and the family. As a former classmate and friend, I share your sadness and I know I speak for all that knew him when I say that he will sorely be missed.
Ben was a great person to know and to work with for me during his last 10 years. He is already missed by those who know him and had regular contact with him. I enjoyed every MSD Board meeting with him and always respected his contributions to the betterment of the entire community. My thoughts and prayers are with the family in the celebration of his life and his rememberance.
To the Pace family,
Ben Pace was an inspiration to our community. His kind heart and gentle ways will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this time.
Marnie Walsh
I served with Ben for many years on the MSD Board. I appreciated Ben’s heart for doing the right thing, his empathy for people and their situations, and his sincerity. I counted on him to speak out when the occasion called for it. Ben had an extremely sharp mind and was a great judge of character. Ben represented a great heritage of Buncombe County which continues with his family who survive him. He will be greatly missed.
I am glad that I got to know ben and was privileged enough to be able to talk to him and hear from him about his life in about the things that he accomplished. I will miss ben and I will miss the times we had up at the video store and all the interesting conversations and jokes we used to tell each other. rest in peace ben. I will miss you.
I am glad that I got to know ben and was privileged enough to be able to talk to him and hear from him about his life in about the things that he accomplished. I will miss ben and I will miss the times we had up at the video store and all the interesting conversations and jokes we used to tell each other. rest in peace ben. I will miss you.
I am glad that I got to know ben and was privileged enough to be able to talk to him and hear from him about his life in about the things that he accomplished. I will miss ben and I will miss the times we had up at the video store and all the interesting conversations and jokes we used to tell each other. rest in peace ben. I will miss you.
I will surely miss Ben!
I have always enjoyed Ben as a friend. He will be truly remembered.
Jamie, we are so sorry about Harrison. I will always remember his laughs and good stories he had to tell. He will be missed. Claudia and Dennis
To the Pace Family
I offer my symppathy to you. Ben was a dear friend and will be missed by all of us. May God grant you his peace in your grief
Michelle, Our prayers are with you and the other members of the family. You are a good reflection of your dad. Your Dad was always friendly to me and he was one of the ‘good’ Southern Democrat.
We both became acquainted with Ben through our employment (C.J. in dairy product sales and Patti at Candler Veterinary Clinic). He was always the gentleman, though he enjoyed a lively debate on any subject! Ben will be missed by all that knew him, as well as those that did not know him, but have received the benefits of his ideas and generosity. Please know you are in our thoughts and prayers.
C.J. & Patti Reece
Jamie, Cille and Michelle.
Harrison always made me feel very
special. A very interesting person and a privilege to have known.
Pat Mainous
We have many fond memories of Harrison during his visits with Jay, Til and Lee Pace ( our neighbors). His humor, interesting conversation and big smile will be missed. Our prayers and thoughts are with you at this difficult time.
We are so sorry to hear that Ben has passed away. He was always fun and such a good guy. We wish we could be there today, but will be thinking about you all. We love you all!
We wanted to let you know how sorry we are for your loss. He will be missed by many for a long time to come.
Condolences from the WNC-CLC, AFL-CIO representing working families here in WNC. Although many of us did not know Benjamin personally; we were well aquainted with his daughter Michelle. A person’s memory lives on through the actions of their children. Mr. Pace, you and your family where and are good people evidenced by the actions and goodness of your daughter Michelle. Our prayers and thoughts are with the family on your loss.
Jamie,
We are all so saddened to hear of Ben’s passing. He always made me smile and was quick with a joke. It was a pleasure working with him over the years. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family.
Beth, Wilder,Tama, Margret and the staff at Wilder Wadford, PA
My condolences to the Pace Family. I was fortunate to get to serve with Ben on the MSD Board, and came to appreciate his wit, insight and wisdom on many matters. His contributions to the citizens of Buncombe County were manifold. Leaders like Ben are never forgotten, always missed.
Jamie, Michelle & Cille,
I was so sorry to hear of Ben’s passing while I was in San Francisco. Unfortunately, I did not get home in time to share in the celebration of his life on Thursday. He was a very special person and I honor his life in my heart as I hold you all in my thoughts and send you love.
We are so sorry for your loss. I remember my father, Eddie Teague(Bill’s brother), telling many happy stories of his times with Harrison. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Albert webb.. I knew Ben from 1970 to 1977.
He was good friend of my dad, and I got to know Him because of the Sun Oil work he did
In 1976 (or so) just as he was starting the convenience store, he asked me to open it up with him, help as a clerk… My dad waved Ben off, due to my wild side. Good for Ben and my dad…I remember Ben as a easy smile and good hearted….his divorce was hard on him..as a young man, I could see it… Not surprised Mr. Pace, was a mover and shaker, a real go getter