Gene Bess: key obituary facts
Is Gene Bess dead? Yes. Gene Bess died on June 19, 2026, at age 91.
Cause of death: Gene Bess's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Gene Bess known for?
He was known as American basketball coach.
More about Gene Bess
Born: 1935.
Place of birth: Oak Ridge.
Gender: male.
Occupation: basketball player, basketball coach.
Nationality: United States.
Gene Bess, an American college basketball coach, died June 19, 2026.
He was 91. Bess was a native of Oak Ridge, Missouri, and spent 12 seasons coaching at Lesterville High School, Anniston High School and Oran High School, where he compiled 250 victories.
He joined Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff in 1970 as an assistant before taking over as head coach the following year. At Three Rivers, Bess finished with a 1,300-416 record, the most wins by any college basketball coach at any level, and led the program to national junior college titles in 1979 and 1992.