Benjamin J. Legett, Jr.

He was the son of the late Benjamin J. Legett and Kathryn Locascio Legett, brother of the late Rosemary E. Bowers, and husband of 68 years to his late wife, June Drumm Legett.

The family he loved includes two sons, Benjamin Legett III (Robin, deceased; Nancy Jordan), and David Drumm Legett (Beth); a daughter, Kathryn Legett Morris (John B); five grandchildren, Stavely Michael Legett (Dan), Christian Michael Legett (Keri,) Joshua Chapman Legett (Megan), Stephen Benjamin Hurstell (Ciara), and Emma Drumm Gonzales (Blake); and one great-grandchild, Miles Drumm Legett.

Dr. Legett graduated from Loyola University School of Dentistry in 1950, and received a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Tulane University in 1983. He enjoyed a widely varied professional career which included the general practice of dentistry, teaching, research and public health. Following his service as Naval Dental Officer for Marine Air Group 16 of the First Marine Air Wing during the Korean War and 23 years in private practice, he joined the faculty of the Louisiana State University Medical Center where he attained the academic rank of Professor and Head of the Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, retiring in 1996 as Professor Emeritus.

Service to the community-at-large took many forms. He was Chair of the Board of Trustees of St. Timothy on the Northshore United Methodist Church and a member of the Ochsner Clinic Foundation Northshore Board of Councilors. He travelled to remote villages in Costa Rica to set up a public health project for undernourished children and spearheaded the establishment of a rural, teaching dental clinic at the Lallie Kemp Hospital in Tangipahoa Parish. He studied the use of fluoridized milk in children’s dental health and nutrition in Portsmouth, England, and developed continuing education classes in Geriatric Dentistry here at home. He co-drafted the first Louisiana Dental Medicaid program and started a free oral cancer screening program at the school of dentistry. He served as President of the New Orleans Dental Association and Editor of the NODA News Publication, establishing that association’s first central office. In his spare time, he gave over fifty special lectures and presentations and wrote twenty two publications. Even in his later years when he and June moved to St. Anthony’s Gardens, Ben found purpose and joy in organizing lectures, concerts, and poetry readings for their new friends.

Honors bestowed on him include the Louisiana Veterans Honor Medal and fellowships in the American College of Dentists, The International College of Dentists, and The Louisiana Geriatric Education Center. He also received recognition awards from the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans and The Bayou River Health Systems Agency, and was elected to the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Fraternity.

In his collection of family stories and reminiscences, Ben shared that he believed he was put on earth to learn and to serve. But those close to him knew he was put here to learn, to serve, and to love. A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, May 2, 2025, at St. Timothy on the Northshore, 335 Asbury Dr., Mandeville, LA. Visitation will begin at 11:00am with a service at noon.

To view and sign the online guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com