Ben Ben Settle Jr.

Funeral: The family will have a private funeral service. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Moore Funeral Home- Bowen Road Chapel, Arlington.

Ben had a degree in aerospace engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, was a member of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, American Helicopter Society and had published several papers on tiltrotor helicopters as well as holding a related patent. Ben spent most of his career at Bell Helicopter Textron in Fort Worth and most recently worked for Elbit Systems of America as program manager for Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Ben had a lifelong passion for sailing and sailed locally as well as internationally. He was a devoted father and enjoyed participating in his daughter's school and extracurricular activities. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Fort Worth.

Survivors: Ben will be sorely missed by his wife Debbie Settle; his daughter, Caroline Settle of Arlington; his mother, Ann Settle of Durham, N.C.; his sisters, Wendy Hickman-Settle of South Bend, Ind., Jan Settle of Fairfax, Va., and Joan Thomas of Philadelphia, Pa.; his stepsister, Carol Commander of Virginia Beach, Va.; his stepbrother, Bucky Hampton of Norfolk, Va.; his mother-in-law, Eileen Brown of Las Vegas, Nev.; and his brothers-in-law, Gary Brown, Len Hickman and Bill Thomas; and sister-in-law, Femmy Kistenmacher. He will also be missed by his nieces and nephews, Hadley Brown, Channing Brown, Brian Hickman, Kate Dahler and Ashley Thomas.