Ben Bessent was born Dec. 22, 1936, in San Angelo, Texas, to parents Charlie W. Bessent and Lou Ella Bilbo Bessent. He died on January, 13, 2015.
His family lived in Robert Lee, Texas, and upon graduation from Robert Lee High School in 1955, Ben attended San Angelo College and Odessa College.
He was married to Mary Angeline Vaughan on July 8, 1956.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Bobby Joe and Charles Bessent, his parents-in-law Robert and Pauline Vaughan, and his beloved grandson, Cody Bill Bessent.
Ben was an entrepreneur who began his work career at the age of six, washing dishes at a local café where he had to stand on a box to reach the sink. People in Robert Lee knew him as Benny, the boy who came up with ideas like selling snow cones, shining shoes, or selling the Grit newspaper. As a teenager he worked for Earl Roberts in a local grocery store. Early on Ben showed his great drive when he won an award from The Abilene Reporter for his high percentage of paper sales. Ben was definitely a people person and a salesman. He began working for Vaughan Chevrolet in 1954, and Robert Vaughan became his mentor and later his father-in-law. They developed a close and lasting bond until Robert's death in 1998.
After Ben and Mary married, they moved to Odessa where he worked for Bronco Chevrolet and attended Odessa Jr. College. In 1958, he went to work for Mobil Oil Co. on a seismograph crew and lived in McAllister, Oklahoma, and Liberal, Kansas, during that time. He returned to the car business in 1959, taking a job with Mustang Chevrolet in San Angelo. In 1968, Ben and Mary returned to Robert Lee, became partners in Vaughan Chevrolet, and when Robert retired, Ben became the sole owner of the dealership.
In 2004, Ben Bessent Chevrolet was sold, and Ben retired. After three weeks of retirement, Ben said, "No, retirement is not for me." So Ben’s good friend, Mike Mitchell of Mitchell Buick/GMC gave Ben the opportunity to continue the career he loved where he could sell cars, see old friends, make new friends, and have a great time.
Ben lived his life with intensity, giving 150% of his energy to everything he loved, which included his family, his friends, his work, and barbeques at the pool. In fact, he always said, "I want everybody to know that I had more fun than anyone! And I played Pebble Beach!"
Ben is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary, his children Craig and Lisa Gilstrap Bessent, Randy and Cindy Ash Bessent, and Lisa Myers. Ben also leaves three grandchildren, B.J. Bessent and wife Rachel, Katie Bessent and Shaye Anne Atwood and husband Ross. Ben also leaves three great-grandchildren, Cody and Cali Bessent and Hudson Atwood, as well as a cousin, Katrina Hallmark, who has been like one of Ben and Mary's daughters.
His family lived in Robert Lee, Texas, and upon graduation from Robert Lee High School in 1955, Ben attended San Angelo College and Odessa College.
He was married to Mary Angeline Vaughan on July 8, 1956.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Bobby Joe and Charles Bessent, his parents-in-law Robert and Pauline Vaughan, and his beloved grandson, Cody Bill Bessent.
Ben was an entrepreneur who began his work career at the age of six, washing dishes at a local café where he had to stand on a box to reach the sink. People in Robert Lee knew him as Benny, the boy who came up with ideas like selling snow cones, shining shoes, or selling the Grit newspaper. As a teenager he worked for Earl Roberts in a local grocery store. Early on Ben showed his great drive when he won an award from The Abilene Reporter for his high percentage of paper sales. Ben was definitely a people person and a salesman. He began working for Vaughan Chevrolet in 1954, and Robert Vaughan became his mentor and later his father-in-law. They developed a close and lasting bond until Robert's death in 1998.
After Ben and Mary married, they moved to Odessa where he worked for Bronco Chevrolet and attended Odessa Jr. College. In 1958, he went to work for Mobil Oil Co. on a seismograph crew and lived in McAllister, Oklahoma, and Liberal, Kansas, during that time. He returned to the car business in 1959, taking a job with Mustang Chevrolet in San Angelo. In 1968, Ben and Mary returned to Robert Lee, became partners in Vaughan Chevrolet, and when Robert retired, Ben became the sole owner of the dealership.
In 2004, Ben Bessent Chevrolet was sold, and Ben retired. After three weeks of retirement, Ben said, "No, retirement is not for me." So Ben’s good friend, Mike Mitchell of Mitchell Buick/GMC gave Ben the opportunity to continue the career he loved where he could sell cars, see old friends, make new friends, and have a great time.
Ben lived his life with intensity, giving 150% of his energy to everything he loved, which included his family, his friends, his work, and barbeques at the pool. In fact, he always said, "I want everybody to know that I had more fun than anyone! And I played Pebble Beach!"
Ben is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary, his children Craig and Lisa Gilstrap Bessent, Randy and Cindy Ash Bessent, and Lisa Myers. Ben also leaves three grandchildren, B.J. Bessent and wife Rachel, Katie Bessent and Shaye Anne Atwood and husband Ross. Ben also leaves three great-grandchildren, Cody and Cali Bessent and Hudson Atwood, as well as a cousin, Katrina Hallmark, who has been like one of Ben and Mary's daughters.
Ben Bessent was born Dec. 22, 1936, in San Angelo, Texas, to parents Charlie W. Bessent and Lou Ella Bilbo Bessent. He died on January, 13, 2015.
His family lived in Robert Lee, Texas, and upon graduation from Robert Lee High School in 1955, Ben attended San Angelo College and Odessa College.
He was married to Mary Angeline Vaughan on July 8, 1956.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Bobby Joe and Charles Bessent, his parents-in-law Robert and Pauline Vaughan, and his beloved grandson, Cody Bill Bessent.
Ben was an entrepreneur who began his work career at the age of six, washing dishes at a local café where he had to stand on a box to reach the sink. People in Robert Lee knew him as Benny, the boy who came up with ideas like selling snow cones, shining shoes, or selling the Grit newspaper. As a teenager he worked for Earl Roberts in a local grocery store. Early on Ben showed his great drive when he won an award from The Abilene Reporter for his high percentage of paper sales. Ben was definitely a people person and a salesman. He began working for Vaughan Chevrolet in 1954, and Robert Vaughan became his mentor and later his father-in-law. They developed a close and lasting bond until Robert's death in 1998.
After Ben and Mary married, they moved to Odessa where he worked for Bronco Chevrolet and attended Odessa Jr. College. In 1958, he went to work for Mobil Oil Co. on a seismograph crew and lived in McAllister, Oklahoma, and Liberal, Kansas, during that time. He returned to the car business in 1959, taking a job with Mustang Chevrolet in San Angelo. In 1968, Ben and Mary returned to Robert Lee, became partners in Vaughan Chevrolet, and when Robert retired, Ben became the sole owner of the dealership.
In 2004, Ben Bessent Chevrolet was sold, and Ben retired. After three weeks of retirement, Ben said, "No, retirement is not for me." So Ben’s good friend, Mike Mitchell of Mitchell Buick/GMC gave Ben the opportunity to continue the career he loved where he could sell cars, see old friends, make new friends, and have a great time.
Ben lived his life with intensity, giving 150% of his energy to everything he loved, which included his family, his friends, his work, and barbeques at the pool. In fact, he always said, "I want everybody to know that I had more fun than anyone! And I played Pebble Beach!"
Ben is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary, his children Craig and Lisa Gilstrap Bessent, Randy and Cindy Ash Bessent, and Lisa Myers. Ben also leaves three grandchildren, B.J. Bessent and wife Rachel, Katie Bessent and Shaye Anne Atwood and husband Ross. Ben also leaves three great-grandchildren, Cody and Cali Bessent and Hudson Atwood, as well as a cousin, Katrina Hallmark, who has been like one of Ben and Mary's daughters.
His family lived in Robert Lee, Texas, and upon graduation from Robert Lee High School in 1955, Ben attended San Angelo College and Odessa College.
He was married to Mary Angeline Vaughan on July 8, 1956.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Bobby Joe and Charles Bessent, his parents-in-law Robert and Pauline Vaughan, and his beloved grandson, Cody Bill Bessent.
Ben was an entrepreneur who began his work career at the age of six, washing dishes at a local café where he had to stand on a box to reach the sink. People in Robert Lee knew him as Benny, the boy who came up with ideas like selling snow cones, shining shoes, or selling the Grit newspaper. As a teenager he worked for Earl Roberts in a local grocery store. Early on Ben showed his great drive when he won an award from The Abilene Reporter for his high percentage of paper sales. Ben was definitely a people person and a salesman. He began working for Vaughan Chevrolet in 1954, and Robert Vaughan became his mentor and later his father-in-law. They developed a close and lasting bond until Robert's death in 1998.
After Ben and Mary married, they moved to Odessa where he worked for Bronco Chevrolet and attended Odessa Jr. College. In 1958, he went to work for Mobil Oil Co. on a seismograph crew and lived in McAllister, Oklahoma, and Liberal, Kansas, during that time. He returned to the car business in 1959, taking a job with Mustang Chevrolet in San Angelo. In 1968, Ben and Mary returned to Robert Lee, became partners in Vaughan Chevrolet, and when Robert retired, Ben became the sole owner of the dealership.
In 2004, Ben Bessent Chevrolet was sold, and Ben retired. After three weeks of retirement, Ben said, "No, retirement is not for me." So Ben’s good friend, Mike Mitchell of Mitchell Buick/GMC gave Ben the opportunity to continue the career he loved where he could sell cars, see old friends, make new friends, and have a great time.
Ben lived his life with intensity, giving 150% of his energy to everything he loved, which included his family, his friends, his work, and barbeques at the pool. In fact, he always said, "I want everybody to know that I had more fun than anyone! And I played Pebble Beach!"
Ben is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary, his children Craig and Lisa Gilstrap Bessent, Randy and Cindy Ash Bessent, and Lisa Myers. Ben also leaves three grandchildren, B.J. Bessent and wife Rachel, Katie Bessent and Shaye Anne Atwood and husband Ross. Ben also leaves three great-grandchildren, Cody and Cali Bessent and Hudson Atwood, as well as a cousin, Katrina Hallmark, who has been like one of Ben and Mary's daughters.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
