Ben Stevenson, W2BXA, of Colonia, New Jersey, passed away on May 5, 2011. He was 97. An ARRL member since 1934, Stevenson was also a charter member of the North Jersey DX Association (NJDXA) since 1957, serving as its first president. Stevenson held Satellite DXCC #1, Mixed DXCC #6 (390 countries confirmed) and Phone DXCC #6 (388 countries confirmed).

Only missing two deleted entities -- French Indo-China (FI8) and Damao Diu (CR8) -- Stevenson earned his Mixed and Phone DXCC Awards in 1947, just two years after amateurs were allowed back on the air after World War II. He held his call sign continuously for 82 years.

Stevenson graduated from the Newark College of Engineering in 1935 and served as an electrical engineer with the US Navy during World War II. After the war, he was a plant manager in Carteret, New Jersey before retiring in 1972.

During the sinking of the SS Flying Enterprise in January 1952, he was able to reach the ship’s captain, Kurt Carlsen allowing him to speak to his family in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Though the ship was lost, the captain and crew survived, as did nine of the 10 passengers on board. During the Vietnam War, Stevenson would patch soldiers via ham radio to their families back home in the US.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 6 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the Gosselin Funeral Home in Edison. Parastas will be 3:30 PM, also at the funeral home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 7 at 9:30 AM at the funeral home. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Hillside.