Ben B. Conant

SOUTH PARIS – Ben B. Conant, 81 “dropped out” (as he would have said) on June 26, 2024, at his home in South Paris. He was born in Market Square and lived in Hebron with his parents and grandparents until the age of two, until the family moved to South Paris. His grandmother and two great aunts cared for him while his mother taught elementary school during the day at the Fox School.

Ben attended the Fox School as a boy and later went on to Paris High School where he graduated as the Salutatorian of the class of 1960. English class brought about many great discussions with his teacher Joseph Perham. Ben was noted for his excellent penmanship, calligraphy writing and his exceptional photographic memory.

After high school, Ben attended the Glen Cove Bible School in Rockland, and stayed on to teach and work in the book store. He was there from 1961 to 1972. He spent many summers at Camp Berea in North Turner as a teacher and counselor. The Readfield Baptist Church at Dunn’s Corner was his next calling where he was a Lay Preacher for 17 years. After leaving Readfield, Ben continued his pastoral duties as a lay preacher and pianist in many communities.

A man of many talents, he was very musically inclined playing the clarinet, violin, accordion and the piano. He was a talented “stride” piano player. He was an outstanding historian helping to establish the Paris Cape Historical Society where he served as president and curator for many years. He was also one of the best genealogists in Maine. He researched his own family on his mother’s side (Richards) back two generations before the Mayflower. On his father’s side of the family he had traced his lineage back to the Mayflower and was a descendant of John Alden and Roger Conant (founder of Massachusetts). Ben would happily research genealogy for anyone who asked for help.

Ben was instrumental in preserving and keeping the tradition of the Conant family reunion alive. He collected a huge collection of Conant family memorabilia and archives and he was usually the center of attention at these annual events as all the family members looked to him for sources of information on the family. This year will be the 132nd year the Conant family gathers in August and it will never be the same without Ben.

He had a vast knowledge of local history and loved to keep learning through conversations, cemetery outings and his research. Most of his knowledge was gleaned the analog old fashioned way, reading, digging through old manuscripts, obituaries, researching in libraries, courthouses and interesting face to face conversations. He would often be found writing notes to himself in his calligraphy style on the backs of envelopes, receipts, business cards or any scrid of paper he happened to have had in his breast pocket at the time. These notes would serve as reminders to him and be used as he made connections with generations of people. He did not own a computer but would occasionally lean on someone who did from time to time in his later years. The obituaries published in newspapers were an important research aid for Ben. Reading who “dropped out” each day offered a glimpse into that person’s lineage. He would note who they were predeceased by and who survived them and that would help make connections in Ben’s genealogical mind. He was a walking encyclopedia and most likely knew the answer to your questions, if not, he knew where the answer could be found. Always loving, giving and caring for all he knew. His inherent knowledge will be a tremendous loss to many historical societies in the area. 

He was predeceased by his parents, Forest and Thelma (Richards) Conant; his oldest brother Jan B. Conant; brothers-in-law George Hutchisen and David Ring; nephew Thomas Hutchisen and niece Tammy Hutchisen. He is survived by his brother Roger Conant and wife Lillian; sister Charlene Ring and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, July 14, 2024, at 2 p.m. at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Auditorium. Interment will be at Riverside Annex Cemetery in South Paris. Arrangements are under the care of Chandler Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, 45 Main Street, South Paris. Online condolences may be shared with his family at http://www.chandlerfunerals.com