John Bennett Jez

John Bennett Jez’s memorial service will be held at Temple Bible Church at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, July 25, 2024 with James Arnold, Chase Bowers and Ryan Murphy officiating. A native of Temple, John died Monday, July 15, 2024. He was 89.

John was born March 18, 1935 in Seaton, Texas to John and Jennie Jez. He grew up in Temple, TX, and graduated from Temple High School in 1953. John is a graduate of Temple College, the University of Texas at Austin, the Bank Marketing School of the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the National Guard Academy (OCS), Austin, Texas. He served as a First Lieutenant in the Army Reserves after seven years in the Texas Army National Guard.

In August 1960 he married Bess Rose Popp of Abbott, Texas. He and his wife lived in Austin, Taylor and Garland. While living in Garland, they had their three children, Eric, Jennifer, and Amy. The family moved to Temple in 1972. John and his wife have been members of Temple Bible Church since soon after it started in 1972. John served two terms as elder and was a member of the missions committee for over 18 years, having served as its chairman and vice chairman for several terms.

Preceding his banking career, he worked for several newspapers, a shopper publication and a radio station. He held several advertising executive positions while working in media.

His purpose and passion after retiring from banking as senior vice president of Marketing Services at First National Bank Texas, Killeen, was to go on mission tours and trips with his wife. They served a year in the Czech Republic and nine months in Tanzania, Africa as missionary volunteers. They made several other short term mission trips to Mexico, Ukraine and France. He also made mission trips to Slovakia, Austria and Romania.

John was preceded in death by his son, Jon Eric Jez, and by his parents. He is survived by his wife Bess of Temple, daughters Dr. Amy Jez of Denton, Jennifer Jez Arnold and husband James L. Arnold, Jr. of St. Paul-de-Vence, France, and five grandchildren: Sarah Bess, Rebekah Jael, Emma Claire, James Loyd (III), and John Erich Jez Arnold. Of the many roles in his life, John enjoyed being a father and grandfather. He is also survived by his sister LaVerne Muller and husband Alan of Temple and brother Milton Jez and wife Linda of Dallas.

Memorials may be made to Temple Bible Church Missions or Temple Bible Church, 3205 Oakview Drive, Temple, Texas 76502.

Visitation will be at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple from 6:00p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.