On Friday, April 28, 2023, Benny Gene Melton, a loving husband, devoted grandfather and
stepfather, and a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, passed away at the age of 82. Ben was the
owner and operator of Transmissions, Inc. in Shreveport, LA for thirty years. In retirement, he
spent the following twenty-five years caring for and traveling with his family. After a brief, but
challenging fight with complications arising from Leukemia, he has found peace and rest.
Ben was born on September 4, 1940 to Jewel and Seaborn Melton in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
He was an avid sportsman, following his interest in football through Lawton high school,
which earned him the opportunity to play for multiple college teams, including Cameron
Junior College, Northwestern State in Oklahoma, and Colorado College in Colorado Springs,
where he would graduate with a degree in Business Administration in the spring of 1962.
Ben carried his skills and education with him into the U.S. Army, where he served as a
battalion commander and a captain of the 101st Airborne Rangers. He lead other honorable
men into the field of battle through two tours of service in Vietnam, where he was wounded,
being discharged honorably and decorated with a Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts, and a
number of medals marking his courageousness in defense of our country.
Ben returned from Vietnam and settled in Shreveport, LA, where he would begin his tenure as
an auto transmission mechanic. He opened Transmissions Incorporated in 1968, and his shop
lead the industry in quality of service for nearly 30 years. His commitment to integrity earned
him an early retirement; and at 55, he sold his company in the height of its success.
Ben dedicated the rest of his life, along with his wife, Sue, to their two grandchildren, Caleb
and Lauren. He stewarded his home, his investments, and his time with his family and traveled
as often as possible. In retirement, Ben was known for his longtime love of sports, including
the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs Hockey Team and the LSU fighting tigers. In the summers,
Ben and Sue were constantly pulling their fifth-wheel-trailer with them all over the United
States.
In September of 2022, Ben was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Though he was only
given a year, he mustered his fighting spirit once again and submitted himself to treatment.
By February, he was in remission, but his body was frail and fatigued. After suffering a stroke
in the beginning of April 2023, Ben came home to spend his final days with his family. In the
place that he loved most, and surrounded by the people he loved the most, Ben put down his
final fight, and made his journey home.
Ben is preceded in death by his father and mother, and is survived by his wife, Sue Melton, his
sister, Billie Glenn, his nieces, Donna McDonald and Debbie Mullins, and his nephew, Jerry
Glenn. He is also survived by his step-daughter Dena Moore, his grandchildren Caleb and
Lauren Phillips, and his great-granddaughter, Adelaide Phillips.
The family would like to acknowledge Tom and Hunter Marshall and their families during its
time of need. They would also like to acknowledge Dr. Poornima Ramadas and Dr. James
Lopez at LSU Ochsner for walking with them each step of Ben's treatment. They would like to
thank Jerome Myles, who loved Ben through his final days. He will be remembered for his
humor, his stubbornness, his generosity, and his grit. His memory will live on in our hearts,
and value of his legacy will reveal itself for yet many years to come.
Ben will be interred at the Veteran's Cemetery on Monday, May 8, 2023 at 2:00pm [7970 Mike
Clarke Drive Keithville LA 71047]. A memorial celebrating the life of Ben Melton will follow at
a date later this spring. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in
Ben's name to the Ochsner LSU Health — Feist-Weiller Cancer Center.