Abell, Bess, 1933-2020
Name Entries
person
Abell, Bess, 1933-2020
Name Components
Surname :
Abell
Forename :
Bess
Date :
1933-2020
eng
Latn
authorizedForm
rda
Abell, Bess Clements, 1933-2020
Name Components
Surname :
Abell
Forename :
Bess Clements
Date :
1933-2020
eng
Latn
alternativeForm
rda
Abell, Elizabeth, 1933-2020
Name Components
Surname :
Abell
Forename :
Elizabeth
Date :
1933-2020
eng
Latn
alternativeForm
rda
Abell, Elizabeth Hughes Clements, 1933-2020
Name Components
Surname :
Abell
Forename :
Elizabeth Hughes Clements
Date :
1933-2020
eng
Latn
alternativeForm
rda
Genders
Female
Exist Dates
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
Other Entity IDs (Same As)
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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
AssociatedPlace
Death
Evansville
AssociatedPlace
Birth
Washington, D. C.
AssociatedPlace
Residence