Benjamin Scott Seiler, age 41, of Chicago, IL, died Thursday, June 1, at Saint Joseph’s Hospital after a courageous battle with lymphoma. Ben grew up in Sweetwater and graduated from Sweetwater High School. He went on to the University of Tennessee where he was a member of the UT Singers, and he obtained a degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design. Subsequently, he received a degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. For the past eight years, Ben has been employed by Mariani Landscape as a lead landscape architect. His professional memberships include the Illinois Contractors Association as well as the American Society of Landscape Architects, for whom he served as a membership chair. His designs were featured in North Shore Magazine, and he was granted the IL-ASLA Honor Award in 2005. Ben is survived by his partner of 11 years, Bill Lhotka; his parents, Ann and John Seiler; brothers and sisters-in-law, John and Jeni Seiler and Clark and Frances Seiler; by loving nephew and nieces, Harrison, Mandy, and Caroline Seiler and by his adored Akita, Kuma. Funeral Service will be conducted on Tuesday, June 6, 2006, 4 p.m. at the First United Methodist, 501 Church St., Sweetwater, TN with Rev. Ted Baker and Rev. Carl Oaks officiating. Interment will follow in West View Cemetery. Family invites friends to call at their home 219 Briarcliff Rd., Sweetwater, TN after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123-1718; amFar, the Foundations for AIDS Research, 120 Wall St., 13th Flr., New York, NY 10005-3902, or First United Methodist Building Fund, 501 Church St., Sweetwater, TN 37874.
