Benjamin John Coolen

Benjamin John Coolen, 63, of Moncks Corner, SC, a police officer, Vietnam Veteran, and husband of Bess Coolen, died Friday, December 27, 2013. A visitation will be held on Thursday January 2, 2013 from 10:00AM – 11:00PM at Simplicity Lowcountry Cremation & Burial Services, 7475 Peppermill Parkway, Suite E, North Charleston, SC. The funeral service will follow at 2:00PM at Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC. Ben is from Massachusetts where most of his family lives. He was named after his grandfather, Captain Benjamin Coolen of the Linikin, from Boothbay Harbor, ME, husband of Ethel McKown Coolen who ran the Cool-Inn. He has a sister Debbie Mullen that lives in Boothbay Harbor Me. He has three sons, twins, Michael and Jeffrey in Massachusetts and Ben Jr. in Oklahoma. Ben was predeceased by his sister Paula and her husband Joe. Ben was very involved with his niece and Goddaughter Jodie and his nephew Louis. He not only helped to rear his sons, he helped rear Bess’ four, Thomas and Loretta Connell, Heather Rosa, Lori Alkaldi and our adopted daughter Vanessa. He also had three nieces and nephews, Tammy, Kevin, and Eddie Mullen. Ben and Bess had many grandchildren together “17?. Ben loved life and people. He gave his life for this country when he was sent to Viet Nam and sprayed with the poisonous “agent orange”, not only that it seemed to take a part of him away. Bess watched Ben decline in health mostly this past year than in all the 23 years they had been together. Ben’s “brother in Vietnam” Kenny Robinson and his wife were here as well and Bess’ children and many of the grandchildren were at his bedside. Ben was a lifetime member of VFW post 9509. “My husband is the love of my life. We “matched”, he will forever be in my heart he leaves a big empty space in my life and it hurts but I know he is in a better place!” ~Bess Coolen Arrangements by Simplicity Lowcountry Cremation & Burial Services, North Charleston, South Carolina.