Abell, Bess, 1933-

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person

Name Entries *

Abell, Bess, 1933-

Computed Name Heading

Name Components

Surname :

Abell

Forename :

Bess

Date :

1933-

eng

Latn

authorizedForm

rda

Abell, Bess Clements, 1933-

Computed Name Heading

Name Components

Surname :

Abell

Forename :

Bess Clements

Date :

1933-

eng

Latn

alternativeForm

rda

Abell, Elizabeth, 1933-

Computed Name Heading

Name Components

Surname :

Abell

Forename :

Elizabeth

Date :

1933-

eng

Latn

alternativeForm

rda

Abell, Elizabeth Hughes Clements, 1933

Computed Name Heading

Name Components

Surname :

Abell

Forename :

Elizabeth Hughes Clements

Date :

1933

eng

Latn

alternativeForm

rda

Genders

Female

Exist Dates

Exist Dates - Date Range

1933-06-02

June 2, 1033

Birth

2020-10-09

October 9, 2020

Death

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Biographical History

Bess Abell was born Elizabeth Hughes Clements on June 2, 1933 in Evansville, Indiana to parents Earle C. Clements and Sara Blue. She grew up in both Kentucky and Washington, D.C. while her father served as Congressman and, later, Governor of Kentucky. In 1954, Clements received a political science degree from the University of Kentucky. She married her husband, Tyler Abell, in 1955. After working for her father in various capacities, Abell took a part-time job as a typist for the Democratic National Committee. It was there that Abell began typing letters in response to correspondence written to Lady Bird Johnson during the 1960 campaign.

After the 1960 presidential election, Bess Abell accepted a formal position as Lady Bird Johnson’s personal secretary, in which she served throughout the Vice Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. After Lyndon Johnson became President in 1963, Bess Abell became the First Lady’s, Lady Bird Johnson’s, Social Secretary. Bess Abell continued to serve as Mrs. Johnson’s social secretary until the end of the Johnson presidency in 1969.

After 1969, Bess Abell served as Executive Assistant to Joan Mondale, wife of Vice President Walter Mondale, and owner of a public relations firm, Bess Abell Enterprises.

Bess Abell died on October 9, 2020 in Potomac, Maryland.

eng

Latn

External Related CPF

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/10610754

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Languages Used

eng

Latn

Subjects

First ladies (United States)

Politics and government

Presidents

White House staff

Nationalities

Americans

Activities

Occupations

Social secretaries

Typists

Legal Statuses

Places

Potomac

MD, US

AssociatedPlace

Death

Indiana

IN, US

AssociatedPlace

Birth

Born in Evansville, Indiana

Washington, D. C.

DC, US

AssociatedPlace

Residence

Convention Declarations

General Contexts

Structure or Genealogies

Mandates

Identity Constellation Identifier(s)

w6hs0330

27298687