Ben Bean

Ben Bean, 93, born July 8, 1923 in Olympia, Washington to Earl and Tillie Bean, passed away July 23, 2016 in Olympia. He is survived by his wife, Edie; daughter, Linda Georges (Tom); son, Dan; grandson, Alec; nieces and nephews, Stephen Bean (Nancy), Jeff Bean (Elaine), Mark Bean (Penny), Tom Bean (Karen), Susan Poplack (Larry), David Bean, Michael Bean (Denise), Richard Bean (Laurie), Philip Bean (Alona), Karen Feldstein, and Ellen Goldman. Family was everything to Benny and he also enjoyed the company of all of the children of this nieces and nephews who gave him an endless amount of joy and happiness. Ben attended Garfield Elementary School and subsequently graduated from Olympia High School. After a brief stint at Washington State University, he entered the U.S. Army and was stationed stateside during WWII. After the war, he returned to Olympia and continued to work at the family business, Olympia Supply Company on Columbia Street. Upon the outbreak of the Korean War, Ben was recalled to service and was stationed at Fort Lewis. At the end of the Korean War, he once again returned to Olympia and back at work at the family business. Upon his father Earl’s retirement, Ben and his brothers, Milt and Percy, bought Olympia Supply and continued to run the business until his retirement in 1985. At that time, he sold it to his nephew, Jeff Bean, ensuring that the business stayed in the family. Ben was incredibly involved in the Olympia community throughout his life and even more so after his retirement. He was a member of the Elks Club, Temple Beth Hatfiloh, and on the Boards of the Thurston County chapter of Red Cross and Foodbank plus was a past president of Capitol Lakefair. Always happy to help their community, Ben and Edie performed in nearly every show of the St. Peter Hospital Auxiliary’s “Hospital Happenings,” raising thousands of dollars for the hospital. Ben and Edie traveled extensively throughout his life and especially upon his retirement, traveling to nearly every continent around the world, even representing Olympia in the sister city program in Yashiro, Japan. Few people have enjoyed their life as much as he did, especially when it came to his son, daughter and grandson. He attended every event in their lives whenever he could, and when he couldn’t attend his grandson’s football games at Oberlin College, he would watch the webcast of the games from his computer at home, wearing the school colors while doing so. Ben was preceded in death by his parents Earl and Tillie (Josephson) Bean; and his siblings, Percy (Anne), Abraham (Betsy), Milton (Marcheta), Evelyn (Jerry) and Isadore (June). Please make any donations to either the Thurston County Foodbank or Temple Beth Hatfiloh. Please leave memories of Ben or condolences for his family in the Guestbook below.