Category: Obituaries

E. Benton “Ben” Cobb, passed away peacefully on February 2, 2025, in Lawrence, Kansas due to natural causes.

Born on May 23, 1937 in Salina, Kansas, to Ed and Barbara (née Myers) Cobb, Ben’s early years were spent in Ogallala, Nebraska, after his family moved from Russell, Kansas when Ben was a child. He attended Ogallala High School, where he was an active and accomplished student, athlete, performer and class leader. Ben showcased his diverse talents by participating in the varsity basketball, football, and track teams, as well as being involved in the school band, drama productions, and various clubs. Notably, he served as the class president during his freshman year, and as class vice president his senior year of high school (1955).

Ben earned his degrees from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, after many summers spent tirelessly working in his father’s tire shops inspired him to pursue higher education. He received undergraduate and master’s degrees in mathematics and subsequently achieved his Ph.D. in Mathematics, which began his lifelong career in the discipline. Ben dedicated over 40 years of his professional life to the University of Kansas Department of Mathematics in Lawrence, Kansas, where he made significant contributions as an applied statistician.

Ben was a “man of few words but full of wisdom,” and his soft demeanor belied his deep intellect and keen sense of humor. While at KU, Ben captured the attention of his mostly graduate-level students and co-authored many research papers on such captivating topics as “Discrete Delta Estimation of the Variance of the Logistic Scores Estimator of ED50” and “Small-Sample Quantal Response Methods for Estimating the Location Parameter for a Location-Scale Family of Dose-Response Curves.”

Lawrence is where Ben met and married his first wife, Ann Kuckelman Cobb, in November 1969. The couple was blessed with two sons, Matthew and Daniel, who they raised in the bucolic midwestern college town.

Later in life, Ben married his KU colleague Nancy Colyer in 2007. They shared their passions of reading, twilight neighborhood walks and showcasing their sharp wit throughout their marriage and remained devoted to one another other until Nancy’s passing in March 2024.

Ben had a profound love for the outdoors, often enjoying time at Lake McConaughy in Western Nebraska and embarking on long road trips throughout the western United States. While he may have been a mediocre golfer, he found joy in every round played. He was immensely proud of his three grandchildren, showering them with love during visits to Kansas and California, and doting on them almost as much as he did his beloved puggle Clyde.

Above all, Ben was a cherished father, grandfather, husband and friend, and his presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his mother, Barbara Cobb, in 1980, his niece, Kathy Lapp, in 2008, his father, Edgar M. Cobb, in 2010, his sister, Diane England, in 2022 and his wife Nancy Colyer in 2024.

Ben is survived by his sons, Matthew (Darcy) Cobb of Los Angeles and Daniel Cobb of Seattle; his three adored grandchildren: Lachlan, Tate, and Macdonald; his stepdaughters Melissa (Missy) and Catherine Colyer; and his first wife Ann Kuckelman Cobb. In Ben’s final years he was cared for by the incredible staff at Bridgehaven Memory Care, who showed him love and kindness for which his family will be eternally grateful.

Ben’s legacy of love, intelligence, dedication, and kindness will forever be remembered by his family and friends.