Mr. Ben L. Lettie

July 3, 1937 - March 8, 2021

Beloved husband, father, and grandfather Ben Lettie was born to Don and Laura Lettie on a farm in Porter, PA, in 1937. He attended Sykesville High School and lived in Sykesville, MD, his entire adult life. He died March 8, 2021, at the age of 83. Ben was one of the warmest souls you would ever meet. He loved people. He loved nothing more than swapping stories and being part of a big, supportive community -- the more, the merrier. He would cruise yard sales (he loved to get a good deal) and pick up things he thought his friends and family might like. He took joy in fixing appliances for friends and strangers, helping neighbors clear snow from their walkways, or building furniture for family. He loved hardware, woodworking, and big projects -- anything he could build or fix. His jobs at Herring’s Hardware, Hughes Hardware, Clement Hardware, Frederick Trading and Home Depot allowed him to help every person he worked with. Annually on his birthday, Ben threw a big bash that brought together family and friends with another of his favorites: Food. If his skills as a woodworker were one way he showed his love, food was the other. The spread could have fed a small army, with bushels of crabs, fried seafood, slaws and salads and desserts (oh the desserts!) But it was the camaraderie and the hurrah that he loved best. Whether it was playing Cornhole or Ladder Golf (a game he built himself), having the party was his way of celebrating his loved ones. Year round, food was how he showed his love, with homemade fudge at Christmas and soft dinner rolls in the spring and fall. Ben had endless curiosity and embraced everything life brought him. He was a creative thinker, and he loved to learn and have new experiences. He enjoyed traveling, and in particular he loved the natural beauty of Alaska and Yellowstone National Park. He always wanted to use the latest technology (which he did with the great patience of his son-in-law Rohinton), and he was always trying out new gadgets. If you weren’t sure how to solve a problem, you could call up Ben and he’d help you think it through. He invented clever solutions to mundane problems, like how to get snow off a roof, and was always tinkering. Later in his life when he couldn’t hear so well, Ben mostly told stories -- but they were good ones! He liked to tell the story of how he built 300 chairs one summer to sell at a local farm market, or how he was the only one who caught a fish on his latest trip. His deepest affection was reserved for his family. He was blessed to have two wives whom he loved beyond measure. He could never get enough of seeing his grandchildren. When he married Betty Jessee, he gained an entire new family to cherish and a church community. He is loved by many. Ben leaves behind his beloved wife Betty Lettie. He is predeceased by another love of his life, wife Marge Lettie. He is survived by siblings Margie Ridgley (Grant), sister, Lyle Lettie (Judy) and Terry Lettie (Lucia), brothers. He is predeceased by siblings Delores Lettie and Ned Lettie. He is also survived by children Tamara (Rohinton) Gonda of Pepperell, MA, and Tim (Pam) Lettie of Berryville, VA, and five grandchildren. Ben was surrounded by love from his step-sons and their spouses: Roger and Kathy Jessee, David Jessee and Rick and Carol Jessee and 9 step-grandchildren. He is also predeceased by a step-daughter, Victoria Yeager and a step-grandchild. Due to current pandemic restrictions, the visitation and service at Haight Funeral Home & Chapel, Sykesville will be private. A public graveside service will be held on Friday, March 12, 2021, at 2:15pm at Lake View Memorial Park, 2724 Liberty Road, Eldersburg. A livestream of the service will be available at www.haightfuneralhome anytime after 1pm Friday. Once you enter the website click on obituaries and select Ben's obituary. There will be a video player there to watch the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Friendship Baptist Church, 1391 Sykesville Road, Sykesville, MD 21784 or the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be offered at www.haightfuneralhome.com