On the afternoon of August 17th, 2026, Benjamin "Ben" Walker Conken, 20, began his eternal journey with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Ben lived by faith, family, and friends, and in his final moments with us, he was surrounded by the strength of all three.

He is survived by his parents, Christopher and Christine Conken; his siblings, Will and Molly Conken; and his grandparents, David and Judy Conken, Christie Nelson, and Vernon and Trudy Jones. He was welcomed into Heaven by his grandfather, Richard L. Nelson, Jr.

Ben was an avid outdoorsman and athlete who led with quiet kindness and integrity. Since the age of five, he spent countless early mornings in a deer stand or on the water with his dad and Peepaw learning the patience, perseverance, and discipline that guided him throughout his life. He bagged an elk in Wyoming and landed fish in the waters off Costa Rica, and loved venison prepared just about any way.

Ben attended Cottage Hill Christian Academy, where he played baseball, basketball, and football. Football was his favorite, and he dreamed of one day playing Division I. He earned the opportunity to live that dream as a scholarship defensive outside linebacker for the University of West Florida Argonauts. Ben was intensely competitive, but never at the expense of sportsmanship, fairness, and character.

He lived by a mantra of "get up and do something." He was not content with a life of passive observation. Even when countless healthcare workers, support staff, and volunteers devoted themselves to his care, Ben was actively learning so that he could return that care tenfold to others. His heroes were those who saw a need, had the ability to meet it, and quietly answered the call without praise, recognition, or reward. He would absolutely hate to have to read all this about himself.

At Camp Smile, those lessons took shape in the lives of the campers he touched. Ben taught by example, leading campers and counselors alike through consistency, patience, and action. Even in his darkest moments, he kept their love and respect close to his heart.

Ben believed in deliberate practice. The win wasn't in the big play on game night. It was built through the small actions you take over years, the conscious, difficult choices you make now that bear fruit at the right moment. He practiced marksmanship so he would be ready when a buck stepped into range. He practiced fundamentals, form, and repetition so he would be ready when the stadium lights came on and the team took the field. And he practiced walking with Christ daily so he would be ready for this journey to come.

A favorite passage of his was Micah 7:8: "Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." Ben fell, often. But he rose more often. He liked taking a hit and bouncing back. To him, if you weren't wearing dirt and blood at the end of the game, you weren't playing it right. Through every poke and stick, every bump and bruise, every hit and hard knock, every bad call he didn't want to hear, Ben reflected the Lord's light for others, a light that death cannot extinguish nor time dim. We will carry his memory with us always, and his love, strength, and example will always carry us.

Services will be held Saturday, August 22nd at Cottage Hill Baptist Church: 9-9:30 a.m. for family, 9:30-11:30 a.m. for visitation, and 11:30 a.m. for funeral services. Instead of flowers, Ben would want you to donate to charities dear to his heart: Pilots for Christ, Camp Smile, and The Bridge Program at USA. Or get up and do something.