Benjamin Rhyne Jones passed away on November 7, 2011 on Galveston Island, Texas. Ben was a truly enthusiastic and charismatic man who treasured his family and the many friends he gathered throughout his life.

Ben was born on September 5, 1975 in Raleigh, North Carolina. In his youth, he attended Greensboro Day School in North Carolina. After moving with his family to Texas in 1989, Ben became a cadet at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas. He then graduated from Kingwood High School where he played on the tennis team. He followed his Mother, her family and his Father's footsteps by attending Florida State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Business. While at FSU, Ben was an active member of Lambda Chi Alpha and Scalphunters. Ben interned with Bear Stearns in New York City and also worked for the State of Florida Republican Party during the infamous "hanging chad" election year.

Ben's principal career was as a financial advisor and included working for Ameriprise and Smith Barney in Charlotte, N.C. He began his work experience as a sales representative for payroll processor ADP in Houston and Tampa as well as ASPire Financial Solutions in the retirement services industry.

Ben was always proud and supportive of his family's involvement in philanthropy. He personally devoted his tremendous efforts to the establishment of The Health Guidance Center in Charlotte, N.C. and served as a board member and active volunteer.

The greatest moment in Ben's life occurred on September 19, 2009 in Tallahassee when his twin daughters - Avery and Ellasyn were born. Ben loved playing everything from hip-hop to rock-n-roll for the girls from the moment they were born and loved watching them dance wildly to the music from the time they could toddle.

Ben spent his life collecting friends wherever he lived - from his early days in Greensboro, N.C. and teen years in Kingwood, Texas - on to his adult life in Tallahassee and Charlotte. Ben loved his friends and stayed in constant contact with them throughout his life.

Ben loved adventure. He had great memories of the summer he spent backpacking all over Europe - attending rock concerts in Scandinavia, sitting center court at Wimbledon, bungee jumping from a cable car into a Swiss Alps gorge and not missing a country or a moment.

Ben was adventurous in the States too - and especially loved rock climbing since learning "the ropes" in North Carolina as a youngster. He rode shotgun with Mario Andretti in a pace car at a CART race in Elkhart Lake, WI at 140 mph. But Ben also was a modern day Renaissance man - he loved cooking, fine food and wine. He was a reader of a diverse collection of books and loved the performing arts.

Ben was a prolific writer and storyteller who could take all of us along as he told of incredible experiences. His journals from throughout his life tell the stories.

Ben is survived by his beloved twin daughters - Avery Marie and Ellasyn Grace - and wife Alicia Chancy Jones of Tallahassee, Florida; his parents, Susan Miller Jones and J. Robert Jones, Jr. of Winter Park, Florida; his sister Katherine Jones of Orlando, Florida; and his maternal grandparents - Jan Stayer Miller and Robert Long Miller of Havana, Florida, and an extended family of uncles, aunts and cousins. Ben was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Christine Montague Jones and John Robert Jones, Sr. of Huntsville, Alabama.

The family requests memorial contributions be made to Golfers Against Cancer, 1700 Lake Kingwood Trail, Kingwood, TX 77339 (www.golfersagainstcancer.org) or be given to a in Ben's memory. The family thanks all the wonderful friends for the outpouring of support and condolences since Ben's passing. Plans are being made for a celebration of his life with his friends in Houston, Texas, in coming weeks as well as a private family memorial service in Havana, Florida.