Benny Francis Koonce of Naples, Florida passed away on May 17, 2021 at the age of 78. He was born on August 4, 1942 to Francis Arthur Koonce and Gwendolyn (Trucks) Koonce in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Benny was of Baptist faith. Benny married his High School sweetheart, Natalie Crossett, on December 27, 1961 and they had one child, Jennifer. They were married almost 27 years before parting ways.
Benny did a short stint in the Army and when he got out starting working in the billing department at Jefferson Regional Hospital in Pine Bluff. Shortly after, he was hired with Haverty's furniture company and quickly worked his way up the corporate ladder with only a high school education. He worked for Haverty's for 40 years and was the President of their credit department in Chattanooga, Tennessee when he retired.
Anyone of his numerous nieces or nephews would hands down tell you "he was my favorite". He felt something special for each and every one of them. Whether it was having a package of M&M's for Art in his pocket whenever he would see him, taking Kim and Todd skiing behind the boat down to the dam water and slowing dropping them in the 54 degree water just to laugh and watch them suffer or taking Gary and Darrell to their first Arkansas traveler's baseball game and telling them "one day you may play on this field" (And they both did in an all-star game). Sometimes the boys would come to the house to play two on two basketball (he was probably 40 y/o about this time) and he hustled with the 20 year old’s but would be sore for 3 days!
He volunteered his time whether it was mowing the lawn at the church on Saturdays with Jennifer helping. Started a "Squirrel's club" for First Federal Bank in Arkansas where he was the mascot "Uncle Benny" and wore a yellow suit with gray hair and moustache and Clark Kent glasses to encourage children to start a savings account early and watch it grow. He also volunteered to fill in to be Bozo, but his daughter ratted him out by hollering "That's not BOZO! He's got the same watch as my dad!" She was only 5 so he forgave her.
After retiring he bought an RV and traveled the United States. He would end up in Florida in the winters and ended up buying a condo there. When trying to get him to move to Texas to be closer to family as he got a little older, he would reply "I don't own a long pair of pants or a jacket and that's just the way I want it". He absolutely loved it and the friends he made. He got to ride out a CAT 4 hurricane and came out unscathed. He would hop on his golf cart and make the rounds every afternoon. People on the trail would wave and say, "Hey Ben!" And when Jennifer would say "who's that?", he would reply he did not know. Somehow, he couldn't remember names, but everyone knew who he was.
Ben's most prized possession was an autographed picture of Alan Jackson. He loved a good scotch with friends, reading, golfing and the Arkansas Razorbacks. He wasn't a simple man, but it didn't take much to make him happy
I hope Scooter met you at the Heavenly Gates, Dad and I hope you have already played on the most beautiful course you have ever seen and hit a hole in one.
Benny is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Hazel and husband, Ken of Allen, Texas; brother, Larry Koonce of Pine Bluff, Arkansas; sister, Diane Petty of Pilot Point, Texas and his granddaughter, Scarlett Hazel of Allen, Texas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Gwendolyn Koonce.
The family will have a private Memorial Service.