Obit for Ben Alton Glover (Bennie)

March 14, 1914 to December 5, 2012

Ben Alton Glover (Bennie) was born March 14, 1914, to James Tate Glover and Cordelia Ione Cosby Glover, in New Willard, Texas, and died December 5, 2012, at home surrounded by family members at the age of 98. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Dorothy Evans Glover, who died January 8, 1963, and by second wife, Sara Love Glover, who died March 22, 2010, by four brothers, Guy, Jim Bob, Pete, Lewis, and two sisters Katie Riley and Myrtle Marsh.

Bennie graduated from Livingston High School in 1931 and married Dorothy Evans on March 26, 1933. Bennie wore many caps, husband, father, friend, merchant, banker, builder, real estate developer, and wildcatter. His first job was selling roasted peanuts and shining shoes at the New Willard company store at age 10. At age 16, he opened a cleaning and pressing shop and sold suits in New Willard. As a young man, he played on a semi-professional baseball team organized by Zimmy Foreman and had a life-long love of the sport.

He opened Glover Automotive Supply Store in 1935, opened Glover Hardware in 1945, then built a new Glover Hardware in 1953. In 1940, he organized the Junior Chamber of Commerce and was its first president. As president of the Livingston Chamber of Commerce, Glover' administration was given credit for securing City mail delivery for the City of Livingston, and for development of the Master Plan for the Polk County Fairgrounds. He encouraged the Trinity River Authority and the City of Houston to join together in the development of the proposed Lake Livingston, and personally traveled over 7,000 miles contacting prospective industries in behalf of Polk County. He was President of the Polk County Industrial Foundation, and a member of the Texas Hardware Association, the Texas Forestry Association, and the East Texas Chamber of Commerce. He was a founding member of the Livingston Lions Club and organizer/manager/sponsor of the Little League Baseball in Livingston. He was vice president and the youngest man elected as Director of the First State Bank of Livingston with which he was involved for more than 55 years. He was 14 years on the Livingston City Council, chairman of Red Cross Fund drive, trustee of the First Methodist Church, a member of the fficial board and the building committee, and chairman of the finance committee. In 1963 he was named Polk County Man of the Year.

Bennie was truly a man' man, loved the outdoors and hunting deer, dove, quail, turkey, pheasant, and playing dominoes with family and friends. He started Brooks Hunting Club in Sonora, Texas., and stalked deer there for decades. He cherished the many friendships he collected over 98 years in Polk County.

He is survived by a rich family legacy: daughter Sherry Roberts and husband Jim of Longview, Texas, son James (Jim) Glover and wife Sherri of Houston, Texas, grandchildren Holly Wagner and husband Philip, Julie Smith and husband Steve, Paige Walsh and husband Andy, James Glover and wife Melanie. He has 12 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren, 4 nieces and one nephew.

The family expresses deep gratitude to his loyal caregivers, Geraldine and Willie Harris, John Glass, Shavawn Pierson, Maria Damian, Kathy Johnson, Helen Allen and Marvie Shaw.

Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, December 12, at First United Methodist Church in Livingston, conducted by the Reverend James M. Frazier, assisted by Matthew Murphy and Holly Wagner. Honorary pallbearers are Gene Bush, John Gardner, Bill Goodwin, Billy Lambeth, Eddie Lewis, Carl Lichte, Clayton Lilley, Matt Murphy, Ben Ogletree, Jim Owen, Robert Siebold, Tony Taylor, and Steve Townley.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, First United Methodist Church of Livingston, Texas, or to a charity of your choice.

Cochran Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Please sign our online register at www.cochranfh.com