Stuart & Ben - John Kimball

OK, this is awesome -- thank you everyone for your contributions -- let's keep it going -- doesn't need to be a funny story just something/anything about Stuart!!
I am going to go again here because this is a great story that is also very poignant at this time:
It must have been at least 12 years ago -- I think Benjamin was about 12 or 13. Stuart had apparently always been way into hiking and was very excited to introduce Ben to the sport. So Stuart picked a weekend to head to the White Mountains in NH and invited me to join he and Ben. We would hike in near the "Old Man in the Mountain" rock formation (we would stand on the Old Man's head at the end of the hike!!) So Stuart has prepared everything - all the camping gear and gadgets ( was it me or did Stuart love gadgets!!!), food etc... and now we load these huge back packs onto ourselves (poor Ben!!!) and start into the woods. The plan was to hike to a pond, spend the night and then hike out the next day. As soon as we started out Ben trailed about 50 yards behind us -- he was clearly not as fired up about this trek as his father. And that is how the hike would go - Ben about 50 yards back walking slowly kicking up the rocks and dirt probably asking himself how the hell he ever got talked into this charade!!! Every 10 minutes for 4-5 hours Ben is calling out "how much longer?" or "I need some more food" or "this pack is too heavy"!!!!! Stuart is not only bummed that Ben is not into this "Father/Son" outing but now he is pissed that Ben will not shut up!! "BENJAMIN - BE QUIET" "BENJAMIN - YOU JUST ATE" "BENJAMIN - NOT MUCH LONGER" -- we finally made it to the pond and set up camp for the night - I remember there were a TON of mosquitos - to the point where we could barely leave the tent - but anyways we all walked down to the pond and this I will never forget -- father and son, skinny and pale white, buck naked in the middle of no where jumping off this wooden dock together and into the pond!!
Stuart was a great father and delighted always in keeping me up to date with all the wonderful things that Benjamin and Alison were up to in their lives. I know that one of his great prides was in seeing the exceptional people that Ben and Alison have become.
John