Traveling Back… to Ben’s Chevron

By Nila Harris

FALMOUTH — As we see the building next to McDonald’s come down in Falmouth to make way for a Dollar General store, I’m reminded of a different building in that place back in the 1970s…

Ercil “Bennie” Vanlandingham was born and raised in Falmouth and attended Falmouth High School during the mid-1950s.

One day he skipped school to take the Armed Forces qualification and physical fitness test, passed and enlisted in the Air Force.

Later, Vanlandingham called his mom and said, “Mom, I’m on my way to Texas.”

She didn’t even know that he had enlisted.

He served his country from January 1956 to January 1960, working as a crew chief on a B47 bomber.

“I went where the plane went,” he said.

Vanlandingham talked about always having his bags packed and toolbox ready.

“When the whistle blew, we had so many minutes to get aboard the plane.”

He never knew where he would be sent but traveled all over Europe.

This mechanical training prepared him for his future job as owner and mechanic at Ben’s Chevron, located in the present-day area just south of the McDonald’s restaurant on Highway 27.

After his military service, Vanlandingham became a regional truck driver, hauling steel.

He later served on the Falmouth Fire Department, then the Falmouth Police Department.

It was during his time with the police department that he had the opportunity to rent a service station from the Chevron company during the mid-1970s.

“I took it on lease and got so much per gallon. Gas was 20 cents a gallon,” Vanlandingham said.

The station had two bays — one with a car wash, and the other for service work. He added a wrecker service after purchasing a wrecker in 1977.

Vanlandingham was pleased to have several good mechanics and workers during the time he ran the station.

All three of his sons, Ronnie, Andy and Danny worked there as well as his son-in-law to be, Joe Deaton.

Other mechanics included David Utz, Steve Kavanaugh and Joe Bowen. Vanlandingham was quick to add that he might not remember everyone who worked for him.

It helped to have family taking care of things. “One year, I went to Nebraska to pick up my (first) wife (Sandra) in Nebraska. They (his sons) ran the shop while I was gone.”

Working at the police department the same time as he had the station had its advantages in helping Vanlandingham know how to handle intense situations.

He recalled a time when some boys pulled up to the pumps, got gas and informed him that they didn’t have any money.

“What are you going to do about it?” they sneered.

Vanlandingham promptly pulled out a pistol. The boys ran off, abandoning their car.

Later they were caught and had to pay their bill (and get their car).

That story had a good ending for Vanlandingham, yet there were others who did NOT pay their bills.

“I tried to be good to people (letting them make purchases on credit),” he stated, but soon his own bills were piling up.

This, along with long hours at the station by day, police/fire department by night, meant too much time away from his family.

He sold the station to Monte’s Marine and Sporting Goods Inc. in 1987.

Vanlandingham, 87, and his current wife of 33 years, Millie, have relocated to Cincinnati near where Millie’s daughter lives.

Three of his children, Laura, Andy and Danny continue to live in the Greater Cincinnati area. The oldest, Ronnie now lives in North Carolina.