Jeff Bess

Jeff Harley Bess, of Springfield, Missouri died September 14, 2021, at the age of 30. Jeff was born in Springfield on September 9, 1991, to Charles and Kim (Holt) Bess.

Jeff loved music. In middle school, he started his own music blog and began earning a paycheck. He used the hook of “five questions” to book interviews with musicians all over the world, none of whom knew they were talking to a teen. He was published in the online version of a print music magazine and in turn received hundreds of demo CDs from new and established artists for him to review. Jeff loved to sing. He would sing at the top of his lungs with his headphones on, dancing when the spirit moved him, as it often did.

Jeff had a solid sense of style. When he was little he would choose vests and bow-ties one day and cowboy garb the next. He was accepted to a children’s choir in elementary school and was both crazy about and appalled by the lederhosen outfits they were required to wear! As he grew older, he knew what he liked-never, never wore blue jeans-and he always looked cool.

Jeff loved to learn. He was an insatiable reader, always up on the most current of events and was fascinated by the complexity of politics. A star debater for the Holt V. Spicer debate forum at Missouri State University, Jeff was a National Debate Scholar in 2012, 2013, and 2014. In 2014 Jeff placed second in the Lincoln Douglas division of the National Forensic Association (NFA) National Tournament. He qualified three times for the prestigious National Debate Tournament (NDT) in cross-examination debate in 2012, 2013 and 2014, the Pittsburgh Round Robin in 2013, and competed in the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) elimination rounds in 2012, 2013 and 2014. After completing his undergraduate degree at Missouri State University, Jeff earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington in 2017. He returned to Springfield while studying for the bar to be closer to his family, and helped coach for the Spicer Debate Forum in 2018. After passing the bar, Jeff worked for others for a couple of years and then decided to pursue a M.A. in Communication, hoping to develop strategies for starting his own firm. Jeff wanted to use his law degree to help people navigate through difficult life changes, and with his calm and empathetic manner he would have done so much good for so many.

Jeff loved talking with people. He had strong opinions, but he was such a good listener and was most happy when in conversation, especially with his friends. Jeff’s natural curiosity and excitement about the world inspired his mother to become a teacher, to encourage that love of learning and sharing with others. Jeff always, always reminded his friends they were special and that they mattered. He never hesitated to tell others that he loved them. The hole Jeff’s passing leaves in our lives will never be filled, but every time we listen with empathy and learn with joy we are honoring him and his legacy.

Jeff is survived by his mother and stepfather, Kim (Holt) and Charlie Bush; grandmothers DeAnn (Banwart) Holt and Judith (Richardson) Bess; bonus siblings Jaymie, Jake and Ashley, and Mallory Bush and their children; Aunt Carol (Holt) Price and family; Uncle Drew Holt and family; Grandma Betty (Smith) Bush; and all of our extended Bess, Holt, and Bush families. Jeff is also survived by his dear friends Alex Aton, Marcus Aton, Caleb Horton, Eric Morris, Pouya Parsian, Joel Reed, Chey Watson, so many, many other friends, and his cat, Bernie. Jeff’s father, Charles, and grandfathers Don Holt and Chuck Bess preceded him in death.

Services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home. 500 E. Walnut Street Springfield, Missouri 65806. A visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home at 10:00 am. A burial at Dishman Cemetery in Strafford, Missouri will follow. Please visit the Herman H. Lohmeyer Facebook page to watch the live stream of Jeff’s services. https://www.facebook.com/Hhlohmeyerfuneralhome/videos/218358410351453

In lieu of flowers, honor Jeff by giving random acts of kindness, anticipate the needs of others and remind them of all the positive aspects of their lives, dance, and sing at the top of your lungs. Oh!! And adopt a dog or a cat! Jeff loved his animal friends and is most likely snuggling with Critter right now.

Announcing the Jeff Bess Memorial Scholarship
We are still grieving the loss of Jeff Bess (2014) last month.

Two of Jeff's close friends, Joel Reed & Caleb Horton, have worked with the MSU Foundation to create a scholarship in his honor.

The hope is for this fund to disperse its first scholarship in the fall semester of 2022, with a preference to upperclass debaters who, like Jeff, have taken a significant role in the program with competitive success, evidence production, and leadership.

We would normally wait to announce this scholarship until all the paperwork was finalized. However, we are writing today because the coming weekend is Homecoming, and October 13th and 14th are giving days with a matching fund bonus.

To help make certain any gifts intended for the Jeff Bess Memorial Fund reach their destination, please select "Other" for fund, and put Jeff's name in the comment field, so our Foundation contacts can assure your donation reaches this new fund. The Communication Department is under the Reynolds College of Arts & Letters.

If you are able to provide a donation today or tomorrow (Oct 13-14, 2021), please follow this link and create an account (I signed in with Facebook). If you wish to give in the future (after the matching fund promotion ends), we will send out additional reminders.


Sincerely,

Ermo (Dr. Eric Morris)

The Recipient of this award will be a full-time undergraduate student properly enrolled at Missouri State University. The student must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Recipient needs to be a returning member of the University sponsored Debate team.

This scholarship may be renewed, but students must reapply and be considered with all other applicants.

UPDATE:
I'd just like to let everyone know it was awarded last fall and we're still fundraising for years to come. - Kim Bush