Ben Clark Blackburn

Ben Clark Blackburn, 81, of Billings, Montana, passed away on September 4, 2026, in Roberts, Idaho.

Ben was born on September 19, 1944, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Elmer and Virginia Blackburn. He was the baby brother to Lea and Judy. He attended New Mexico Military Institute and Weber State University before enlisting in the Air Force, where he served in Vietnam and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering.

He is survived by his daughter, Cayanne (Stacy) Ott; his two grandchildren, Tristan and Chloe Ott; his niece, Deborah Empey; his great-niece, Joey Ford and her husband, Trent; and their children, Ellie and Wayne.

My dad often reminisced about his time overseas, recalling the beauty of the land and the kindness of the people. He had an affinity for Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, and returned for contract work after he was discharged from the military. I believe that in another life, he would have lived there in a heartbeat.

He was a wild child at heart and always enjoyed a good adrenaline rush. I spent my summers with him taking me down the wildest rivers, and he was determined to teach me to hold on to the line—always! We spent so much time floating rivers, picking huckleberries in the mountains, riding horses in the backcountry, swimming at Sleeping Child Hot Springs, gardening, hiking in the desert, looking for and hauling rocks, skiing, sledding, camping, fishing, chopping and skinning sooooo many logs, and so many other things. Looking back, I’m so grateful for all of it, because those are the things that solidified my love and appreciation for being out in nature.

Ben spent most of his life building full-scribe custom log homes across Montana, Idaho, and Colorado, including a special summer home for his mom and sister at Henry’s Lake. He loved being at the ranch, spending time in the woods, picking huckleberries, and gathering wood. He also loved the desert, particularly southern Utah, which became a treasured place we visited many times together with Judy and Ginga.

He had a passion for rocks and thought nothing of spending hours digging them out and hauling them off a mountainside. He incorporated some of them into beautiful fireplaces and mantels, and almost every stone had an adventurous story behind it. Today, our yard is adorned with many of these pieces from my childhood adventures.

He loved fishing and managed to hook a catch most of the time; he deeply loved his dogs; and he was an avid reader who read with such voracity that he could have filled a substantial library.

He was also a die-hard Denver Broncos fan. When I married into a Packers family, his inner jokester came out. He wrote a book titled Green Bay Quackers and had a whole goofy series written out in his head, broken down by conference.

He had many dreams that had yet to come to fruition, but he never stopped dreaming. He spoke to his sister, Judy, every day. She was his best friend, and when she passed away in June, I believe he suffered from a broken heart and deeply missed hearing her voice. I imagine there is a beautiful reunion happening right now, with him, his sisters, and his mom reminiscing about the good ol’ days.

His ashes will be spread at the ranch, where he will have a forever view.

Love you, Dad.