Help in tragic loss of loving father and husband

Benjamin (Ben) Samuel Hurd passed away unexpectedly Friday, December 2nd, 2022. Ben was involved in an accident while driving his tractor-trailer on the route for his job. He leaves behind his wife, Christine, of 16 years, and his two little girls, Hazel (who will be seven on Dec 14th) and Linden, 5.

Ben was born into a hard-working family and resided in Southbury Ct. until he met Christine and moved to Middlebury. He was a very talented arborist spending many years in the tree business, most recently with Southbury Tree Service.

Seven years ago, Ben had followed in his father's footsteps and took a position with H.O. Penn Caterpillar in Newington, Ct. This was the same route that his father had before his retirement. Ben drove tractor trailers for them in which he hauled heavy equipment and essential parts for the company across state lines during the night. He managed to do this while continuing his second job as an arborist on his days off. Ben was a hard worker, and he worked very hard to support his family and lost his life doing so.

The investigation into the accident is still ongoing, but early indications show that he came upon a situation on the road and had to maneuver to avoid a collision that would possibly kill others. This caused his rig to go off-road, resulting in his own death. Ben had just turned 47 on November 25th.

Ben and Christine enjoyed 16 full years of marriage and started their life in Middlebury, where they turned a corner lot property with a small house into a home including gardens and beehives. This turned into a passion for Ben when he added beekeeping to his vast portfolio of things he did. Ben’s passion for beekeeping turned into a side business Hurd’s Farm & Apiary, in which he operated hives all over the area and partnered with Subway on a much larger project. Many local retailers partnered with Ben and sold his honey and products. Ben and Christine also loved to volunteer and were part of “Team in Training” and cycled over 100 miles around Lake Tahoe to raise funds and awareness for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Ben was also a guest speaker on “Hammer Lane Legends” Podcast episode 126 and shared stories of his experiences on the road.

After years of saving and pinching pennies, they purchased 10 acres in Morris, Ct. in hopes of expanding their farm and honey business, raising their two beautiful daughters, and living out their dream together. The land they purchased had a small rundown house on it, which Ben literally reconstructed from the foundation to the roof into this beautiful home. The home, however, still needs some finishing work and has a long way to go to being finished. They had taken out a builder’s loan to get to where they are, and now with Ben’s passing keeping up will be hard to do.

For those that knew Ben, they will tell you that he was the “Give you the shirt off his back” type of guy. That, in fact, was exactly how Ben was. He was always up for the challenge, always willing to help others, all while having his own things to do. He was the first to answer a call from a friend in need, and he did that repeatedly throughout his life.

Ben was gifted mechanically and was a jack of all trades, one would say. He was very hands-on with everything he did. You would find him fabricating all kinds of things homemade maple syrup evaporators, tractor parts, etc., you name it. Ben figured, why buy it when you can just make it? He was always trying to be hands-on because he enjoyed it, and it saved money while doing so.

He loved Volkswagens and, over the years, owned a few GTIs, which he modified performance-wise, showed them and even raced at the track. It was a hobby that he was very fond of.

Ben was the only earner taking on multiple jobs along with his honey sales to support his family. He was the one who carried the health insurance. Christine and the girls now must start to try and pick up where he left off and gather the pieces of their lives. They are faced with an uphill battle and the daunting task of replacing their lost income, keeping up with bills, getting health insurance, completing the home renovations, and saving for the girls' furthered education and college. Unfortunately, Ben didn’t carry life insurance, and because of the tragedy, the financial situation for the family is not great, and they need help.

Collectively, Ben’s friends and family are reaching out and setting up this go fund me account in hopes that they can get some financial security through the holidays and the next coming months. They need a buffer to try and get back on track so they can focus on the long road ahead. We realize that money may be tight over the holiday season, but even a small donation is greatly appreciated and would help the girls tremendously. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity.

Additional donations to a college fund set up by the family can be donated.

https://go.fidelity.com/3h2neq