During his 44 years on Earth, Ben Oden was well known for two things – cooking and caring for people.

“He was an excellent cook,” said Jennie Oden, Ben’s wife. “Everybody who had his food absolutely loved it. He wasn’t a fancy person. He owned a concrete business. So he was definitely a laborer. He would be very rough around the edges. He’s kind of a big guy with a big, long and bushy beard and a huge heart.”

Ben Oden, a Montgomery City resident, died on Dec. 31, 2017. Two years later, the Oden family decided to honor Ben by having a cook-off that will help raise money for the children in the Montgomery County area.

“It’s been great,” Jennie said. “It’s really been awesome. It’s a good way to honor his memory and help the community at the same time.”

On Sept. 25, the Ben Oden Memorial Cook-Off returns for its third year on what would have been Ben’s 48th birthday. The event, which is scheduled on the last weekend of September, will be held at the Old Settlers Picnic Grounds in New Florence.

Registration for the event starts at 9 a.m. Awards will be given away in three different meat categories. There are also contests for the best pie and best Bloody Mary, a live auction and a face painting booth for children.

Jennie said the cook-off is the kind of event her husband would have enjoyed.

“It’s right up his alley,” Jennie said. “He was social. He liked to visit with people. It’s a whole day of people cooking. It’s a good time. We raise a lot of money.”

The event’s first year was successful as it raised $17,000. The following year, the event was turned into an online auction due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was awesome that we did that well that first year because we got us a nice space,” Jennie said.

Jennie said proceeds of the cook-off will help pay for coats, hats, shoes, lunch and milk money and college credit classes for high school students.

“When kids need something, we’ll try to make it work,” Jennie said. “We also have given to the (Montgomery County) Fair Board for the livestock auction and for the hog barn. That benefits the kids as well.”

Ben graduated from Montgomery County High School in 1991. He was married to Jennie for 25 years before his death. Ben and Jennie had three children – Jordan, Kayla and Issac.

Jennie said Ben always found time to help out children whenever he could.

“A lot of kids can’t afford a field trip or anything like that,” Jennie said. “When our daughter (Kayla) was in school, she was involved in a lot of stuff. These kids would do good things, but couldn’t afford to go on trips. That’s what bothered him. He always said anybody who was willing to help themselves, he was willing to help them. People who knew him well knew he was a big teddy bear. He came across very rough, but he would help just about anybody.”

Jennie is part of an event committee that includes Joe and Joy Oden, Joe and Gretchen Topel and April McCown. Joe Oden is Ben’s brother.

For more information on the cook-off, contact Jennie Oden at 573-826-9630 or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/benodenmemorialcookoff.