Rooted in History, Guided by Love: The Birindelli Legacy

By Gabrielle Giannone

The Outer Banks Community Foundation (OBCF) exists both because of and on behalf of those who seek to leave this place and its people better than they found them. This year, over ten new scholarships were added to OBCF’s offerings to support local students, one of which is the Ben Birindelli Memorial Scholarship.

Author and historian James Benson “Ben” Birindelli passed away peacefully last March, and in the wake of his legacy, his wife Nancy established a scholarship for local high school seniors in October 2025.

The Ben Birindelli Memorial Scholarship is a renewable, merit-based scholarship for Dare County High School seniors who are members of the National Honor Society and plan to major in history or literature, as Ben was a prolific storyteller, historian, and author. Preference will also be given to students who will plan to enlist in the military.

On Wednesday, April 15, First Flight High School hosted its scholarship award night, where senior Violet Adams was awarded the inaugural Ben Birindelli Memorial Scholarship by Nancy Birindelli.

Born in Richmond, VA, he graduated from Benedictine High School, marking the beginning of his military life. After attending Virginia Military Institute (VMI) for his “rat” year, he received his appointment to the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1962. He served in the U.S. Navy on active duty for eleven years and then began a long career as a Reservist. He then spent five years as a volunteer researcher at the Naval Historical Center in the Washington, D.C., Naval Yard, where he continued to pursue his love of military history.

While Ben pursued his research as a historian and worked as a Navy contractor,, Nancy was an educator, and they invested the greater part of their life together in Falls Church, VA, where they raised their three children and lived for 22 years.

Nancy remembers how Ben loved working for the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board in Falls Church.

“He worked on the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board for 12 years and was selected to be the chairman of the Falls Church Tricentennial Committee when Falls Church celebrated its 300-year legacy from 1699-1999,” she said. “When they wrote the history of Falls Church for this event, [Ben] got to know the editor of the printing company who convinced him that he needed to write a book, so he did.”

Ben subsequently authored a book on Stephen Decatur, a Naval war hero who played a major role in the War of 1812, titled The 200 Year Legacy of Stephen Decatur, 1798-1998. Decatur is revered as a founding figure of American naval traditions, with a museum collection located in the U.S. Naval Academy that Ben attended.

“Though he wrote his book on a Naval figure known for the War of 1812, the American Civil War was his favorite topic,” said Nancy. “Going to the Naval Academy meant that a lot of historical battles were important as part of their curriculum and, coming from Richmond, Civil War history was ever-present.”

After he wrote the book, Ben and Nancy went on a book signing tour visiting over 50 places across the United States named after Decatur.

Outside of his love for history, Ben also enjoyed the mountains.

“We had a house in Wintergreen for 15 years,” said Nancy. “It was Ben’s favorite place. One of the things he enjoyed doing when we had our place there was being part of the Wounded Warrior Project. We had families come and stay for the weekend, typically non-skiers with some kind of disability. We hosted families for 10 years, and they’d arrive Friday night, then Saturday they’d get their lessons, and by Sunday they’d be whipping down the mountain. It was absolutely marvelous, one of the best things we ever did, and he loved it.”

The Birindellis retired to their home in Southern Shores in 2004, having had rental property in Duck since 1983. They split their retirement between the mountains and the beach, where Ben was employed at Duck’s General Store for nine years. He worked there both as a way to stay in touch with his local community and also because he greatly enjoyed sharing his many stories with customers.

“When we retired, the Dare Education Foundation was just getting started, and my neighbor pulled me in, so I was the secretary for years,” said Nancy.

Being an active part of their community was important to Ben and Nancy, and they have a long history of working with the Outer Banks Community Foundation to support causes that they were both passionate about.

In 2013, Ben and Nancy established the Birindelli Family Fund with the Community Foundation. Over the years, the Birindelli Family Fund has made grants to Dare Education Foundation, Food For Thought, and the Outer Banks Relief Foundation.

Ben and Nancy have been long-time members of OBCF’s David Stick Legacy Society, which recognizes individuals who have named the Outer Banks Community Foundation as the beneficiary in a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement account, or other type of deferred or planned gift.

As a member of OBCF’s scholarship committee and someone with a background in education, Nancy enjoyed reading through the applications for the new Ben Birindelli Memorial Scholarship.

“He was a unique person, and if there’s a young person who can follow along in the things he enjoyed, it would help continue his legacy and encourage students to be lifelong learners,” she said.

Ben’s legacy and deep appreciation for education will be honored through the new scholarship, which will help him and Nancy continue to give back to the Outer Banks community for many years to come.

About the Outer Banks Community Foundation: The Outer Banks Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to fostering philanthropy and supporting local causes. Through its charitable funds and grant programs, the Foundation strives to enrich the quality of life for residents of the Outer Banks.