Date of death: 9/4/2013
Saint Meinrad Class: T 2008
Born as the second of three sons to humble Italian immigrants, Ben was a lifelong member of the Roman Catholic Church. He grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he received his parochial school education. He was married to Helen Marie Johnstone for forty years until her demise. They raised three daughters, Christina Maria Cerimele, Renee Marie Lindsay, Nicole Marie Robertson, and a son, Timothy Joseph Cerimele, all of whom survive their father. He is also survived by his two brothers John and Julio and by nine grandchildren.Professionally Ben earned a BS degree in Physics and an MS degree in Mathematics at Xavier University in Cincinnati. After completing his doctoral studies in Mathematics at the University of Cincinnati, he served on the Xavier faculty for four years. He went on to further studies as postdoctoral fellow in the Biomathematics Program at the North Carolina State University in Raleigh. After completing his fellowship, he joined the faculty at N.C. State, with a joint appointment in the School of Medicine, as teacher and researcher for two years. He produced one student with a Ph.D. in Biomathematics.Ben entered biopharmaceutical research with the Eli Lilly Laboratory for Clinical Research in Indianapolis. During his tenure at Eli Lilly, he earned an MBA degree from Indiana University. In part of his corporate career, he managed scientific services for the Merrell-Dow pharmaceutical venture located in Indianapolis. At Lilly and at Merrell-Dow, he promoted various scientific advances including electronic document preparation, biological signal processing, computerized biologics production, personal computers in the research lab, and supercomputer modeling. He served as project team leader in gaining FDA marketing approval for Nicorette gum.Throughout his corporate research employment, Ben maintained active involvement with academia. He held adjunct appointments at the IU School of Medicine, the IU MBA program, and the Executive MBA program at the University of Indianapolis. He served as consultant to the Mathematics Departments at IU and at IUPUI and the School of Science at IUPUI. He has authored and coauthored over thirty articles in various scientific journals.He spent his retirement years studying theology, earning an MA degree in Catholic Thought and Life from the Saint Meinrad School of Theology. He was active over several years in catechetical teaching at Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish in Indiana.A memorial mass will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. Saturday at Our Lady of the Greenwood Catholic Church, 335 South Meridian St., Greenwood, IN, 46143.Friends may call from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Friday at Wilson St. Pierre Funeral Service & Crematory , Greenwood Chapel, 481 W. Main St., Greenwood.Memorial contributions are suggested to American Parkinson’s Disease Association.Published in the The Indianapolis Star on September 6, 2013.