Ben Agger, Ph.D., passed away in Arlington on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. Service: In accordance with Ben's wishes, no public memorial will be held. Memorials: Those wishing to honor Ben may do so with a donation in Ben's memory to Ben Agger Memorial Scholarship, 703 Findlay Drive, Arlington, Texas 76012 to fund an annual scholarship for a Lamar High School graduating tennis player who demonstrates good sportsmanship and a love of the game, two things Ben valued above winning; or to Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers), 60 Lowther Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 1C7 for their War Resisters Support work. Ben was born in Eugene, Ore., on June 3, 1952, to Mary Ellen "Molly" Blake and Robert Eugene Agger. His family later moved to Canada, where he received his undergraduate and master's degrees at York University. In 1976, at the age of 24, Ben received his Ph.D. in political economy from the University of Toronto. He married Beth Anne Shelton in Buffalo, N.Y. In 1994, Ben joined the faculty of the University of Texas at Arlington. From 1994 to 1998, he served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts. In 1998 he was appointed director of the Center for Theory at the university, a position he held until his death. In addition to teaching and mentoring countless undergraduate and graduate students, which he did with passion, Ben served on several editorial boards and was the founding editor of Fast Capitalism. He was a prolific author publishing dozens of articles and more than 20 books. His most recent book was "Texting toward Utopia: Kids, Writing, and Resistance in the Digital Age." At the time of his death, Ben had additional books in progress, including one on which he was collaborating with his spouse and colleague, Dr. Beth Anne Shelton. Aside from his rich academic life, Ben was an avid runner, a passion he tried to share with his children. He competed in numerous races, including marathons and 5K races. His best marathon time, of which he was extremely proud, was a 3:08 in Toronto, Canada. Above all else, Ben was the proud and doting father of Sarah and Oliver, both of whom he loved beyond measure. He will be missed. Ben was predeceased by his mother and father. Survivors: He is survived by his wife and partner of 29 years, Beth Anne Shelton; daughter, Sarah Porter; son, Oliver Agger-Shelton; and son-in-law, Michael Porter, all of Arlington. He also is survived by his sister, Ellen Agger and her partner, Alleson Kase, of Nova Scotia, Canada.

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Published by Star-Telegram on Jul. 19, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for Ben Agger

Sponsored by the Star-Telegram.

45 Entries

Chawki Belhadi

January 4, 2018

I was shocked to hear of his passing. As a grad student, I took Social Theory from him back in the fall of 2006. I remember him as very open and invested in the reality around him. My condolences to Beth Anne, Oliver, and Sarah.

July 15, 2016

I have published a paper dedicated to the memory of Ben Agger, "the last intellectual", in a Korean Sociology Journal as below.

2016. "Gwahakjang i gongronjangeul mannaseul dae"[When the Scientific Field meet the Public Sphere] Sahoewa iron[Society and Theory] 28: 7-32.

I feel very lucky to have been with him.

Chulhee Chung
former student and an old friend of Ben

Jack E. Brush

April 14, 2016

I did not know Ben personally, but I corresponded with him by email on matters concerning the development of US culture since the 1960s. Having spent my career in Switzerland as professor at the University of Zürich, I contacted Ben when I retired and moved back to the States. His replies to my questions and concerns were always kind and very helpful. I just now learned about his death when an email was returned to me undeliverable. I am very saddened by the news. In my brief correspondences with him, I sensed not only an excellent scholar, but also a fine person.
Prof. Dr. Jack E. Brush

Mary LeVesque

August 26, 2015

I remember what a lovely person Dr. Agger was. I was honored to sell his books at the UTA Bookstore, sharing his anticipation of the newest. My prayers to the family.

Fiona Green

August 19, 2015

I was so sorry to hear of Ben's passing last month. We shared a mutual love of running and I greatly enjoyed spending time speaking with him after our races. He was always full of encouragement and had a very positive outlook on life.
He will be missed by many. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

Tony Curtis Hughes

July 28, 2015

"Three words come to mind to describe Ben: honest, humble and helpful. I believe I echo many of his students when I say he will be remembered as a Great Professor and even a better man."

Yasmin Ibrahim

July 28, 2015

Ben will remain the erudite scholar and mentor, unreservedly remembered through his generosity of spirit. He symbolised the values of an enlightened academy; an insatiable quest for knowledge and social justice, acceptance of difference while upholding rigour in his spaces of intervention. Fast Capitalism is a testimony to both his magnanimity of spirit and his mentorship of worthy scholarship wherever it unfolded. The academy is in need of more academics like Ben; his altruism, his natural instinct to nurture scholarship and knowledge, equally his openness to the alternative. Ben you are truly missed.

Alison Torres Ramos

July 26, 2015

Dr. Shelton and Family,

I was shocked to hear of Ben's passing. He will be greatly missed by those who new him. Ben was not only my favorite professor, but he was also my mentor and a constant source of inspiration. I will never forget his willingness to help me navigate the often difficult waters of academia. He was always there for me when I had a question about anything related to theory, my dissertation, academic publishing, the list can go on and on. He had a way of turning complicated and abstract theoretical concepts and converting them into comprehensible ideas that were easy for students to understand. I admit, I thought of him as a human encyclopedia. I remember when he used to come into a graduate seminar with just a tiny index card with a few words written in and turned that piece of paper into an invigorating lecture complete with precise dates, notable books, and connections to contemporary culture. His scholarship was admirable. I used to joke that he was superman because he managed to balance his personal life with running, mentoring, teaching, and writing articles and books. His love for his family was evident in all that he did. Not a class went by when he didn't mention his family in one way or another, whether by showing pictures on his cell phone or by joking around with students about the differences between him and Dr. Shelton's teaching style. I am thankful for the opportunity to have known him. Ben will forever influence my scholarship, my academic life, and my teaching, among other areas such as fitness, food, and family. Ben was a special person and he was loved dearly by many. I am sure that he touched many lives in a positive way. Ben's life was short but meaningful. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Greg Coopman

July 25, 2015

I knew Ben from the Lamar Tennis Team where Ollie and my son played together. Ben was a great father and loved his family very much. He was always upbeat and very enjoyable to hang around with at the matches. Talking with him always put a smile on my face. I will miss Ben and his witty remarks, as well as his keen insights and sincere interest in helping others. He was a great person.

Jameson Gurley

July 23, 2015

Dr. Agger will be missed but never forgotten by those who knew him. As a runner, he left many footprints... and one of those precious footprints was on my life - I am truly grateful, and I will forever hold a good thought of him. -Former Student

maisam ileiwi

July 23, 2015

Dr. Shelton & family,
I am very sorry to hear the sudden passing. The way Dr. Shelton talked about him was enough proof of what a remarkable man he truly is. Sending love and light your way <3

Nicola Johnson

July 23, 2015

I never met Professor Agger in person, but I had the privilege of communicating with him via email. I'm an academic living in Australia and have read much of his work, and hoped to meet him one day. I remember how well he mentored me with a journal article I wrote for Fast Capitalism. It is wonderful to know that my impressions of him as a great person were accurate (as detailed in the other messages here). I'm so sorry for your loss.

Hannah Goldrich

July 22, 2015

We are so sad to hear about Ben's death. He was obviously a marvelous man. Ben and Ellen were the first young children we knew well and they were very important to us. I'm sorry we missed all those years with him. He wrote me a few years ago, and I"m glad we had that contact. Warm regard to Ben's family. We are thinking of them.

July 22, 2015

So sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts. Love you. Marcia

Dian Nostikasari

July 22, 2015

Ben embodied everything he believes in and what a wonderful experience it was to have learned from him. I'm very sorry for your loss.

Oliver Agger-Shelton

July 22, 2015

Do you know about icebergs? Well, the thing about icebergs is you only see 10 percent. The other 90 percent is below the water where you can't see it. My dad was an iceberg. Everyone, I think, saw a version of the man. Some people saw an academic; some of my friends saw a pretty good dad. The countless number of people who he approached in the world probably thought he was a crazy old man. For me, though, I saw everything. All 100 percent. As a man, I have so much respect for Benjamin Agger. He received his Doctorate degree at 24. He wrote 20 books, and upwards of 40 other articles. He had one of the greatest minds of any one I have ever met. As a father, he was so much more. Imagine that, even though he accomplished so much academically, his true priorities laid with his family. My dad did everything for me. When I was just starting to read, he went out and bought me around 30 books from a series of children's book. My mom thought he was crazy but my dad said, Just you wait and see, he'll read every single one. And he was right. He was always right that way. We played every sport possible in the backyard. He taught me how to throw a football, how to play soccer, and how to look halfway respectable shooting a basketball. When I announced that I was going to be a baseball player, he immediately went to the store and got a bucket of baseballs so that I could practice my swing. I realize now my dad never missed a single thing. When I became serious about tennis, he went to every one of my practices. He never missed a single one of my high school tennis matches. I'm serious, not one. And if he even had the inkling of a thought that he might miss one, he would text me a hundred times, just to let me know how hard he would try to make it (which he would, of course). He never missed one of my concerts when I was in orchestra. In the past months, when I was getting physical therapy for my knee, he was at every single appointment. My mom thought he was crazy for that. He just said, I've got to be there, he needs me. I never realized how right he was about that. I have so many amazing stories about my dad. I could write for days and it would not be enough to encapsulate what he truly meant to me. It is not hard to celebrate his life. There is so much to celebrate. I think everyone who has ever met him would agree. He was truly one of a kind. 21 years with my father was worth more than a lifetime, but that only makes it that much harder because it is so easy to see how much I have lost. The past few days have been the hardest I have ever endured, and I never knew how badly I could hurt. Nevertheless, I will continue to be the man that he was so proud of. He may never see some of the greatest accomplishments of my life, but he will live on through the countless stories we have of him. A man of that caliber never truly dies.

Faye Hanson-Evans

July 21, 2015

For Beth Anne, Sarah, and Oliver.

July 20, 2015

Beth Anne, Ollie and Sarah. So so sorry to hear of Ben's passing. Ben taught me how to be a tennis dad. I will forever be indebted to him for all he inspired me to be. What fun it was to share a seat by Ben... We will miss him! We have been praying for your wonderful family.
Eric G.

Mary Watson

July 20, 2015

Dr. Shelton and family,

I am shocked about the news of Professor Agger. I am so sorry for your loss. I took his classes this past fall and summer and enjoyed them so much! He loved to talk about you all and was very proud of all of your accomplishments. He was so encouraging and truly cared for his students. He has touched the lives of so many and he will be missed.

Elizabeth Morrow

July 20, 2015

Beth Anne, Sarah and Oliver, I was stunned to hear this news about Ben. He was such an amazing man and so kind and good to me. I am so sorry for your loss.

Pat Burke

July 20, 2015

i remember how Ben was unable to watch his son play tennis when Ollie was playing a match. I saw him often at tournaments with his family. You could really see how much he loved his family when talking to him. He will be missed.

Sonia Boudreaux

July 19, 2015

Beth Ann, Sarah, and Oliver,

We cannot begin to express our heartfelt sorrow at this news. We have such fond memories of Ben's great personality and wit, and his passionate love for his family.
You'll be in our thoughts and prayers. Our deepest condolences

John and Sonia Boudreaux

Marlene Gatson

July 19, 2015

To the Agger family,
I just wanted you to know that Dr. Agger gave my life new light as one of his under grad students, his purpose for life while very short was fully served. Peace and blessings to you.

Erin Taylor

July 18, 2015

Dr. Shelton and family,

I can't even begin to put into words how shocked and saddened I was to hear of Dr. Agger's passing. With all of the encouragement between the two of you, I found my place within the walls of UTA. It was an honor and a privilege to have met and learned from him. He will be greatly missed but his words and enthusiasm never forgotten. Nor will his insistence that I just needed the right music to learn to love running again!
You're all in my thoughts.

Krista Buck

July 18, 2015

This news saddened me deeply. Dr. Agger was one of the best professors I had as an undergraduate at UTA and he helped me decide to pursue advanced degrees. I admired his wisdom and down to earth personality. It was always a great experience in his courses. He will be greatly missed. My deepest sympathy for his family.

Enid Arvidson

July 18, 2015

Beth Anne, Sarah, and Oliver~

I am shocked and tremendously saddened by the news. I am so terribly sorry. What a tragic loss, to the many communities to which he so vibrantly belonged and contributed. My thoughts are with you. If I can help in any way, please don't hesitate for a moment to be in touch.

With warmth and compassion,
Enid

Enid Arvidson

July 18, 2015

Beth Anne, Sarah, and Oliver~

I am shocked and tremendously saddened by the news. I am so terribly sorry. What a tragic loss to the many communities to which Ben so vibrantly belonged and contributed. My thoughts are with you. If I can help in any way, please don't hesitate for a moment to be in touch.

With warmth and compassion,
Enid

Chris & Maria Porter

July 18, 2015

Dear Beth Anne, Sarah,Oliver and family,

We are deeply sorry for your loss. Our heartfelt and sincere condolences to all of you during this extremely difficult time. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Hope May

July 18, 2015

Dr. Agger was my favorite professor. He made me love school. He is the reason I decided to go to grad school. I only wish I had known him longer. I love him so much....words cannot express how much. I will never forget him. I am praying for his wonderful wife and children. Much love to them.

allan saxe

July 18, 2015

Ben was always very kind to me and I knew him from his very early days at UTA . His students respected him and valued his scholarship. A wonderful human being. allan saxe

kamran & Nelda shahhosseini

July 18, 2015

There are no words to express my sorrow for your loss. Praying that the Lord will give you strength during this difficult time. Our condolences to you at this sad time.

Beth Wright

July 18, 2015

Dear Beth Anne, Sarah and Oliver,
My heart goes out to you. Ben was such a vibrant man, whose impact was deeply felt in his scholarship, his mentoring, his teaching, and above all in his dearly beloved family. I hope that you can find peace and comfort in the coming days.

Teresa

July 18, 2015

Ellen and Family,
Sending you and all your family my deeply felt condolences. What a wonderful person who left much too early.

Stephen Turner

July 18, 2015

Ben was a great, serious guy who lived the life of the mind and also was a great member of the community of letters. He will be missed, and remembered.

Ellen Agger

July 18, 2015

Ben was my brother. Surprisingly and gratefully, I am getting to know him better in these last few days, having lost touch often over the years. The Ben I knew best was the younger Ben: the Ben who got up early in the wee hours to fish with our dad; the Ben who took me to anti-Vietnam war marches in Eugene; the Ben who explored Eastern Europe with our family. I am happy to have had him in my life and am so sad for the loss that his family is feeling now. I see they are surrounded by people who also loved Ben, each in their own way. My thoughts are with Beth Anne, Sarah and Oliver.

Keith Webber

July 17, 2015

He was always so nice and funny whenever I saw him. He was a great man and no doubt an inspiration to many. Words can't really say how much I wish he was still here for you guys. You know he'd only want you to stay positive and carry on, so I'm sure you'll find a way. I know he'll be in our hearts always.

Keigan Smith

July 17, 2015

Beth Ann, Sarah, and Oliver,
Ben was always a pleasure to be around. Whether it was him catching up on all of our tennis matches, or just making us feel awkward in general by saying some miscellaneous obscure joke, he always made us feel like we were part of the family. He will always be missed. He played such a great part in so many people's lives that his legacy will go on for years. With all the love in the world with a heavy heart,
Keigan Smith

Kate Hausbeck Korgan

July 17, 2015

Dear Beth Anne, Sarah and Oliver,

I am deeply sorry for your loss. My heartfelt and sincere condolences to all of you during this extremely difficult time. Words can't express my sorrow upon hearing this news.

Ben was a great mentor, teacher, and inspiration. He was fast and smart and energetic and funny. I have walked this path in my own career because Ben showed me the critical, feminist, radical potential of sociology and social theory. It wasn't just a an occupation for Ben, sociology was a worldview and a way of living. He inspired me and believed in me, and I am eternally grateful to him.

I am thinking of all of you during this impossibly difficult time and sending warm thoughts your way.

Chulhee Chung

July 17, 2015

Dear Beth Anne,

My condolences to you.
I am deeply saddened to hear the news.
In my memory he is still a young healthy man.

It is a tremendous loss for all of us.
I was very lucky to have him who was extremely supportive and generous
to such an immature student like me.
His tireless enthusiasm for a better world is a legacy that we have to carry on.

Enjoying his favorite activity.

July 17, 2015

Daphne John

July 17, 2015

Beth Anne, Sarah and Oliver. I am so very sorry for your loss. Ben was an inspiration. He was one if the smartest people I've met and was such a great teacher and mentor. His dry wit always brought a smile and a laugh. Thinking of all of you at this difficult time.

Olivia Yu

July 17, 2015

Dear Dr. Beth Anne Sheldon, I am sad to learn Dr. Agger is gone while still so young and productive. I still remember seeing you two with your little daughter at a Sociology conference in your hotel room for the last time. How time flies! I see your daughter has grown up and been married.

Please accept my deepest sympathy for you and your children in your loss. I hope comfort and peace will come to you.

Olivia

Dilek Cindoglu

July 17, 2015

Dear Beth Anne,
I am very sorry to hear that Ben is gone. I cant imagine the pain that you and your family are going through. He was such a great teacher and inspiration to me, to an international student from Turkey in 1986. I always remember his energy for his work and for his students. His scholarship enhanced my understanding of the world.
I am very sorry for your loss.

Erian Armanios

July 17, 2015

Dear Beth Anne, Sarah and Oliver,
Ben and I had many unplanned encounters and conversations during or at the end of his religiously kept running regimen. Ben's wit, straight talk and scholarly opinion and insight, provided a unique UTA historical perspective I have appreciated time and again as a relatively new comer. The stimulating conversations, recent focus on establishing interdisciplinary research between our departments... all the way to the exchange of departmental T-shirts we planned to wear, transcend mere memories. His willingness to always help reflects his remarkable heart.
May the values he cherished most, endure through your lives.

Erian Armanios,
Professor and Chair
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of Texas at Arlington

Lisa Oliver

July 16, 2015

Dear Beth Anne, Sarah and Oliver,
My heart goes out to you and your family during this difficult time. I know you will have many tears in the months to come, but you will also have many smiles in the quiet moments when a special memory sneaks up on you. Cherish the good times and laughter you shared with this wonderful man.

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