Michael George "Big Ben" Mabee

Michael George "Big Ben" Mabee, age 74, of Henderson, KY, passed away at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at Select Specialty Center in Evansville, IN.
Ben was born on June 3, 1949 in Quincy, Massachusetts, but when asked he was most likely to respond he was from Tennessee. He loved Tennessee and its people, and lived there for several years after his tour of duty.
Ben was a crew chief for F-4's and achieved the rank of Sargent during his duty in Vietnam. Ben received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Air Force on December 10, 1974. Serving his country was one of his greatest achievements.
While living in Tennessee, Ben was a forest ranger and worked for a local electric utility in Nashville for several years before transferring to Florida where he lived and worked until he relocated to Henderson, KY in the early 90s. He quickly took up raising cattle and managing a farm until he retired in 2017. Ben was a member of a local blues band and played the bass violin during the Henderson Blues Festival. Ben was a great dancer and enjoyed his time immensely playing with 'the boys' in his favorite barn.
Ben met the love of his life, Billie, in 2020 while participating in his zoomed Sunday school class at Presbyterian Church of Henderson. This was during covid, so in person classes were deferred and Ben and Billie had to wait until April 2021 for their first shared dinner. Ben and Billie celebrated their two-year anniversary on Sunday, September 10, 2023.
Ben was preceded in death by his parents George and Margaret Mabee.
Left to treasure his memory is his wife, Billie Jean Mabee of Henderson, KY; his sister Dorothy "Dot" Stringer of Kansas City, MO, and his brother-in-law, Jerry Keith Hamilton, of Eureka, IN. Ben also leaves very special friends, Barbara Jean, Sandra and Tim, Mike and Kathy, Pam and Mark, Tom Caverly, Marge Beam, and others too numerous to mention. He will be greatly missed for his beautiful smile, wonderful sense of humor, honesty and dependability.
A private family gathering and inurnment will be hosted at a later date. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Presbyterian Church of Henderson Building and Capital Fund, 100 S. Main Street, Henderson, KY, 42420. Arrangements entrusted to Benton-Glunt & Tapp Funeral Home, "A Life Celebration® Home". Visit www.bentongluntandtappfuneralhome.com to make online condolences.