Obituary

With broken hearts, we announce the unexpected passing of Benjamin Christopher Trantham, who left this world on May 9, 2026, at the age of 35.

Ben was born on January 11, 1991, in Rolla, Missouri, to Christina High and Christopher Trantham. He was raised in Pleasant Hill, Missouri, where he built his life, his friendships, and the foundation of who he became. He graduated from Pleasant Hill High School in 2009, where he played football and made memories that stayed with him long after those years were over. Ben later worked alongside his father as a contractor remodeling homes, with his main trade being electrical work. He was hardworking, dependable, and the kind of man people could always count on when they needed help.

But the truth is, none of that is what defined him the most.

Ben’s greatest pride in life was his family.

Being a husband and father was not something he did. It was who he was in every sense of the word.

The greatest love story in Ben’s life began the moment he met Brooke, and from that point on, it was clear to anyone around them that what they had was something special. The day he married her was one of the proudest, most meaningful days of his life. She wasn’t just his wife; she was his person, his best friend, and the place he could always find peace in this crazy world.

Together, they built a life that was so full of love it showed in everything they did, but also full of the real, everyday things that make a life. Chaos and laughter, responsibility and sacrifice, resilience and grace. They were true partners in every sense, always standing side by side and never letting each other carry anything alone.

Their life together was built in the everyday moments that don’t always feel big while you’re in them but become everything when you look back. Late nights and early mornings, sports practices and dance lessons, busy schedules, long days, and all the quiet little in-between moments where real life happens. And through all of it, they built a home that felt safe, and full of love for their children, a foundation made strong by the way they showed up for each other every day, no matter what life brought their way.

Ben loved fiercely, especially when it came to Liam and Sophia. Being a father was never something he took lightly. It was who he was at his core.

He never missed one of Liam’s games or practices and was endlessly proud to stand beside him through every season of life. Ben never saw Liam as anything less than his own son, and he felt deeply grateful for the bond they shared. The relationship that Brooke, Ben, Kyle and Lauren built together while coparenting Liam was something truly special. It was never about egos or titles. It was about loving Liam, and together they became one family unit in the most beautiful way.

And then there was Sophia, daddy’s baby girl through and through. 

She had him wrapped around her finger in the best way. From dance lessons to evening scooter rides, Sophia brought out the softest and most tender parts of his heart. Sophia and Daddy shared a special bond filled with their own quiet love language, often exchanging proud thumbs up across the room as a simple reminder that they were always on the same team. They also shared a playful side, teaming up in their little “sneaky” moments together, laughing and working as partners in harmless mischief, and when their playful tricks landed on Mom, they would look at each other and, with a laugh, share that same familiar thumbs up. 

The way he showed up for his children made it obvious to everyone around him that they were his entire world.

Some of the most important moments in Ben’s life were not grand milestones at all. They were the ordinary moments that most people take for granted. Playing basketball with the kids in the driveway. Grilling dinner outside while everybody ran around the yard. Fishing. Watching football. Going to the gym. Working in the yard. Spending hours at the ball fields. Drinking Press Monkey Coffee. A good word search puzzle. But most important of all, it was simply being surrounded by the people he loved.

Ben will be remembered as strong, passionate in what he believed in, loyal to the people he loved, hardworking, and always willing to help. He loved deeply and protected the people closest to him fiercely. If you were lucky enough to be loved by Ben, you knew it.

And because Ben would probably want at least one laugh in all of this sadness, it only feels right to mention his beloved WRX Subi. That car was absolutely one of his greatest loves in life, and anybody who knew Ben knows exactly how true that is.

Ben is survived by his wife Brooke Trantham; bonus son Liam Gustin; daughter Sophia Trantham; mother Christina High and stepfather Darrel High; father Christopher Trantham and stepmother Shelley Trantham; sister Alexis Youngquist and brother in law Tom Youngquist; stepsister Megan Kelley; stepbrothers Alex Edwards and Curtis High and sister in law Samantha High; Uncle Michael Hoover and wife Amy; Aunt Gwen and Uncle Greg Gilmore; Uncle Ken Trantham; along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends who loved him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his stepbrother David High; maternal grandparents Russell Magill and Carl and Judith Hoover; and paternal grandparents Darrel and Norma Trantham. Ben shared a very special bond with his grandfather Darrel, whose guidance and love helped shape the man Ben became. There is comfort in imagining the two of them reunited again, probably somewhere with fishing poles in their hands and endless stories to tell.

The loss of Ben leaves an ache that words cannot fully capture. There are no perfect sentences for losing someone who meant so much to so many people. But if there is one thing that can be said with certainty, it is this. Ben loved deeply and he was deeply loved in return.

His children will forever know that their father adored them with everything he had. Brooke will forever carry a love story that so many spend a lifetime searching for. His parents will always know the love they had for their son, and the pride that comes with raising a man who loved as deeply and as fiercely as Ben did. His family and friends will forever remember the man who showed up no matter the circumstance and always stood beside the people he loved without hesitation.

Though his time here was far too short, the impact of his life will continue in every story shared, every memory replayed, every sporting event, every dance recital, ever cast line thrown into the water, and every quite evening where his absence will be felt deeply.

There is no easy way to put a life like this into words. But, if there is one truth that carries through everything, it is this. Ben loved his family with everything he had. And that love does not end here.

Visitation and funeral services will be held Friday, May 15, 2026, at Langsford Funeral Home, 115 SW 3rd St, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64063. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. Funeral services followed at 11:30 a.m. 

Graveside services will immediately follow at Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery, 806 SE 3rd St, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64063.

Family and friends are invited to gather afterward for a reception at 20306 E 181st St., Pleasant Hill, Missouri 64080.