North Scott High School remembering Benjamin Williams

ELDRIDGE, Iowa (KWQC) - On May 13 around 10:30 am, at the Ben Martinsen Wildlife Area near Folletts, Iowa, Clinton County law enforcement and local fire departments discovered the body of 18-year-old Benjamin Williams, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Williams was a former student at North Scott High School where he began a welding apprenticeship.

North Scott High School Principal, Shane Knoche, talks about the type of person Williams was and how hard of a loss this is.

”Ben was a caring person that you know, cared about everybody,” Knoche said. “It didn’t matter if it was his best friends or somebody he didn’t really know.”

Knoche says the loss of student Ben Williams is a tough one for the entire district.

“It’s a tragic loss for us,” Knoche said. “You know, his, we’ve had counseling here the last couple days to help with any kids that needed this extra time like that, and staff, ultimately, it affects staff just the same as it does the kids.”

The loss is also being felt by welding, automotive and construction teacher David Linnenbrink, who says he shared a close relationship with Ben.

“He just took so many classes with me,” Linnenbrick said. “I had the honor to teach him in various industrial tech classes, specifically his passion was welding, so, so many of the welding classes he took with me and in our, and the classmates.”

“He was an avid outdoorsman,” Linnenbrink said. “Enjoyed fishing and hunting and just really enjoyed that outdoors and it was really cool to interact and know that somebody, you know, really had that passion for the outdoors and enjoy that time.”

Principal Knoche says the community plans to keep Williams’s memory alive.

“Ben exemplifies to me, this community,” Knoche said. “Someone that’s caring and would do anything for anyone so, that’s what we want to remember for Ben.”

Knoche also mentioned that Williams had started an electrical apprenticeship after leaving North Scott High.

Authorities say that the cause of Williams death is still under investigation.

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