FAIRMONT — “Small boys become big men through the influence of big men
who care about small boys.” — Anonymous
Benjamin Young is a man who certainly fits the above saying.
He devotes as much time as possible in the raising of his two young sons while, at the same time, attempting to show the boys by example how important his wife is to him.
Ben is attempting to establish the family structure early — as his parents did for him.
His wife Lorrie said she believes her husband is attempting to bring up strong, confident and kind children who might grow to be great people because of the example their father has set for them.
As the Father’s Day weekend comes to a close, Ben Young of Fairmont appears to have all the credentials for Marion County’s “Everyday Heroes” category.
Ben and Lorrie have two young sons — Caleb, who is 2 1/2 and Jack, who is 8 months old.
“I try to do a good job of supporting her work when I come home each day,” he said. “I’m a project manager, so that is a little difficult some times as you know how projects are.”
He said that as a father, he is “pretty hands on.”
He conveyed the feelings that he believed some sports activities for young people begin at too early an age.
“I don’t know when we’ll start organized sports. I play hockey in Morgantown in the BOPARC league. But we know there will be the time when we’ll be taking them to places all the time for games and practices so we may not rush into that.
“Hockey at the age of 4 may be a little young. That may not be our style.”
He said the family likes to exercise on the rail trail.
“We go running on the rail trail,” Ben said. “Caleb runs a mile and a half sometimes. I’ve never seen a 2-year-old try to run so much, but this one does.”
Lorrie Young says her two boys look at her husband “as the best man in the world. He works 40-plus hours a week and spends just as much time at home teaching, helping and encouraging our boys. On top of that, he shows the boys by example how important I am to him.”
Lorrie said Ben is always looking for ways “to help me with house chores, home projects and child-raising duties. I read once that, ‘The strength of a nation, or a community, derives from the integrity of the home.’”
Ben is a West Virginia native. He was born in Montgomery, lived for a while in Summersville and Petersburg and then attended both WVU and Alderson-Broaddus. He said he and his wife both love Fairmont.
He has worked for ManTech for the past decade, but has only lived here for around a year. “We do a lot of interesting things at ManTech,” he said. “It’s an interesting job.”
ManTech is a contractor that does software development.
What does he see as a father’s role?
“I think that a father has to kind of set the priorities for the home. We’re very faith-oriented. God comes first for us, then family. And then work and other things. The kids take time, and I try to put Lorrie first, but the kids take time as well. I try to balance my time between Lorrie and the kids.”
He said his parents lived out the family scene for us. “It worked for them, and it has supplied structure for us.”
He and his wife met at the Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown about five years ago. They now attend the South Ridge Church here.
His advice to fathers — especially first-time dads:
“I would say that it is just such a short period of time that you have. It seems like having that first one can sometimes catch you off guard. Everyone wants to make a difference, and everyone wants a legacy. I think that the best place to start it is in your home with your kids and with your wife. Loving your family. It’s so important.”
Ben said, jokingly, of course, that his wife “donates her full time to a nonprofit organization — her home. She works hard,” he said.
E-mail John Veasey at jcveasey@timeswv.com.
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Related Photos
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PHOTO BY TAMMY SHRIVER
June 15, 2008
A special Dad
Ben Young sets an example for his two sons
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