94DEA6FF-C523-4526-BF50-16741E5DCF04.jpeg Eileen serves anniversary cakeThumbnailsHuston Shelton Eileen serves anniversary cakeThumbnailsHuston Shelton Eileen serves anniversary cakeThumbnailsHuston Shelton
This article is an excerpt from the February 2011 "Bowtie Bulletin"

Bennie Zimmerman - Long Time VCCA Member

Bennie Zimmerman first heard of the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America in 1967 from his friend Ray Guthrie. Shortly after Ray told him that he had joined the VCCA, Bennie decided that he would join also and their VCCA national identification numbers are only 30 numbers apart. When he heard there would be a meeting on April 25, 1971 to form a club in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, he attended that meeting and joined the club that day to become one of the Lone Star Region’s charter members.

At the charter meeting, Bennie met Roy Chambers for the first time. This was the beginning of a long friendship between them that was easy to keep going since they both live in the same area of Dallas. Bennie was born in the small east Texas community of Perryville, but moved to Dallas in 1948 where he first worked for Austin Steel Brothers. He left this job to work for a time at the defense plant in Fort Worth that was then known as Consolidated. This plant is what is now called Lockheed-Martin. In 1950 Bennie went to work for Kroehler Furniture Company and worked there until his retirement in 1980. Bennie has lived in the same home in Dallas since 1969.

Bennie has had an interest in antique cars all of his life. At the time that he joined the Lone Star Region he owned a 1928 Chevrolet 4 door sedan. He and his brother had a stripped down 1930 Chevy that they used when they went fishing in their teenage years. He has owned and sold many cars over the years and they have all been Chevrolets except one. Due to health issues, he has gradually been downsizing for several years, and at the present time he still owns six antique Chevrolets. Two of his favorites are a 1950 2 door hard top and a 1955 red and white convertible. Chevrolet first made a hard top in 1950 and that is one of the reasons that his is so special to him. Anyone that knows Bennie and Margie has seen them drive the 1955 convertible to many of the Lone Star Region activities.

Bennie attended his first National VCCA Anniversary meet in 1976 when it was held in Colorado Springs, CO. He and Margie have attended several of the meets since then, and many times combined the VCCA meet with a side trip to see other attractions along the way.

He served as Director of the Lone Star Region during 2001 and 2002 and as a Board Member several times. Bennie was always a very active club member, attending almost all of the activities and rarely missing any of the tours. He acquired quite a reputation for his fondness for ice cream, especially Blue Bell and that hasn’t changed. During a recent stay at a physical therapy facility, Bennie said, “After dinner they always asked if anyone wanted ice cream, and I always raised my hand, and they brought me Blue Bell”. Bennie isn’t able to get out much anymore or do any traveling, but he still enjoys hearing any news about the Lone Star Region and receiving visits and phone calls.

With their combined families, Bennie and Margie have had a very busy and interesting life. Together they have several grandchildren and great-grandchildren that they have enjoyed watching grow up. Bennie has two daughters, one that lives in Sulphur Springs, TX and one in Fort Collins, CO. The VCCA and the Lone Star Region have also been a big part of their lives, which gives us all many good memories to share.

Note: Bennie passed away in June 2015. The LSR family misses him. When stories are told of the early days of the LSR the mention of Bennie brings a smile to everyone.
Powered by Piwigo

Copyright 1971-2023 by LSRVCCA. All Rights Reserved.