Benjamin I. Junkin, 19, of Union Twp. passed away Saturday evening July 7, 2018, in Ellwood City, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

Ben was born February 15, 1999, in New Castle, the son of Megan G. Junkin and Christopher W.L. Weir.

He attended St. Vitus Parochial School, Union Area High School and graduated from the Lawrence Co. Career and Technical Center in 2017.

Ben was a member of St. Mary's Church, Mary, Mother of Hope Parish, where he served as an altar server for nine years.  He loved kids and loved being the Easter Bunny at the church's annual Easterfest.

A gifted artist and performe r, he participated in many of the performing arts programs at Union High School, including:  playing in both the Marching and Jazz Bands, singing in the School Choir, and acting in both the Drama Club and school plays. Ben was also a member of Student Council, the Robotics Club, and the Track and Field Team.

When not in school, he performed with the Mahoning Valley Chorale and enjoyed writing and recording his own music. He also enjoyed playing lacrosse and participated in Soapbox Derby racing for years as a child.

An outdoorsman, Ben was a former member of the Boy Scouts of America and always looked forward to hunting, camping and fishing.

Surviving are: his mother, Megan Brown and his stepfather Charles Brown ; his father, Christopher Weir and his wife, Lori; two sisters, Ariel Junkin and Daisy Brown; and a brother Gavin Weir, all of New Castle; his fiancé, Kaileah Vellone and her son, Spencer, of West Pittsburg; maternal grandparents, Lynda Junkin, of New Castle, and John Junkin and his wife Cindy, of Bessemer; paternal grandparents, Gloria Beighley, of New Castle, and Walter Weir and his wife Lynn, of Transfer, Pa. A lso surviving is his uncle Eric (Christine) Junkin and several other aunts, uncles and cousins.

Calling hours will be 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday (7-12-18) in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 111 W. Falls St., New Castle.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 1 p.m. Thursday in St. Mary Church, 124 N. Beaver St., with Rev. Zachary Galiyas, Parochial Vicar, as celebrant.

Interment will be in St. Mary Cemetery.