Jackson Free Press

Long-time Jackson resident Ben Puckett, who died June 2 at the age of 83, was a big-time giver: to Mississippi State, to the U.S. Olympic effort, to your Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum where I am director, to his employees, and to countless other causes and relief efforts.

Puckett grew up poor, made himself wealthy and then did all he could to make better the lives of other folks.

"People will never ever know, and Ben never wanted people to know, all he has done behind the scenes," said close friend Cal Wells, a Jackson lawyer. "Ben was a giver for all the right reasons."

It has been my good fortune to have covered some of the greatest, most accomplished athletes in the world. None had a more optimistic outlook on life, or more belief in himself or herself, than Ben Puckett. He oozed energy and positivity.

Puckett loved children and doted on them, which might explain why he and Dorothy Todd Puckett, his wife of 62 years, had six children, who begat 22 grandchildren and, so far, four great-grandchildren. Those who knew Ben Puckett best say that he loved to make kids happy because he never had much of a childhood himself. He worked several odd jobs to help put food on the table and shoes on his feet as a young lad.

I have always believed that small kindnesses—as much as writing big checks—show the true virtue of a person.

I'll give you just one up-close-and-personal example of Ben's kindness.

This was 14 years ago when a book of my newspaper columns had just been published, and I was selling and signing them at a Mississippi State baseball game. My daughter, Annie, now a Chicago actress but 9 years old at the time, was my one-person sales staff. She handed out the books, collected the money and counted out change while I signed and chatted.

At one point in the afternoon, a slow time in the selling of books, Ben stopped by and was smitten at once by Annie, who was smitten at once by Ben.

"You selling many books, honey?" Ben asked.

"Not any more," Annie said glumly.

So Ben proceeded to tell Annie that he really enjoyed her daddy's writing and that he needed to buy some books for Christmas gifts. This, by the way, was in April or May.

"How good is your math, honey?" Ben asked Annie.

She told him that math wasn't her best subject but she tried really hard, which was the gospel truth in both cases.

"How much are these books?" Ben asked, picking one up and looking at it.

Annie told him.

"Well, if you can figure out how much 15 of them will cost me, that's how many I want to buy," Ben said.

I wish you could have seen the smile on Annie's face. I wish you could have seen the smile on Ben's face while he watched her get serious and start doing the math. She had to use her eraser a couple of times, but she beamed when she came up with the price.

"Sounds about right to me," Ben said.

So Annie counted out 15 books, a stack that was about as big as she was. Ben wrote the check.

"Pleasure doing business with you young lady," Ben said, smiling.

Annie grinned back, obviously quite proud of herself.

And I still don't know who enjoyed it more: Annie or Ben. Or me.

As per Ben Puckett's wishes, memorials in this name may be made to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, 1152 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS 39216.