Forrest Blanton Bessinger, Jr.

Blanton Bessinger, a devoted family man, pediatric cardiologist, and avid golfer, died on Tuesday, August 25, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was 85. He is survived by his wife of over 46 years, Bonnie (Easterlund) Bessinger, who was his best friend, anchor, and love of his life. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children Tom and Jennifer (Henzel) Bessinger, Lori Bessinger and Nathan Herman, and Mary Kathryn Bessinger and Matt Diehl; his grandchildren Madison (Bessinger) and Paul Burley, Luci (Bessinger) and Zach Baudler, and Hailey 'Kat' Bessinger; and his brand-new great-grandchild Sophia Kate Burley. He is also survived by his first wife Judy (Thomas) Nobles. He will be mourned by his family as well as countless friends whom he met through Gyro International, at work, on the tennis court, and on the golf course. Blanton made an impression wherever he went. For years, his children could not walk through an airport, eat at a restaurant, or go on vacation without someone calling out "Blanton!" or "Dr. Bessinger!" and stopping their dad for a short chat or to pay their respects. Forrest Blanton Bessinger, Jr. was born in Columbia, South Carolina, on December 4, 1940, the only child of Forrest Blanton Bessinger, Sr. and Melba (Williams) Bessinger. The family moved to Moultrie, Georgia, in 1947, where Blanton entered the second grade - just the beginning of a distinguished academic career. In high school, he won awards for academics and athletics (baseball and basketball). He attended Emory University, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. After only three years of college, he entered the Emory School of Medicine, where he graduated summa cum laude (and first in his class) in 1965. Blanton completed his pediatrics internship and residency at the University of Minnesota Hospitals in Minneapolis/St. Paul. He was on active duty in the United States Air Force Medical Corps from 1967-69, stationed in California at what was then called Vandenberg Air Force Base. After his service, Blanton and his growing family returned to the Twin Cities. Over the next few decades, Blanton was a trusted and esteemed physician for countless families as well as a teacher and mentor to students and fellows. In the late 1980s, he moved into medical management and became the Chief Medical Officer for St. Paul Children's Hospital (now Children's Minnesota) and received his MBA degree from the Carlson School of Management at the U of M in 1992. Blanton was a fierce advocate for his patients, which laid the foundation for his shift from helping individual families to advocating for children's health and development at the local, state, and national levels. To name just a few of his accomplishments, he was a founding member of Ready 4 K, a director of ClearWay Minnesota, and an active member of the Minnesota Medical Association. When he retired from his professional career in 2003, the Children's Minnesota professional staff established the "Blanton Bessinger Advocacy Award" presented to a staff member annually. He was a member of House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul for more than 50 years and was part of its governing boards for 30 years. He was also a member of Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville for 40 years, serving as president in 1999-2000. A service will be held Friday, September 4 at 1:00 p.m. at House of Hope Presbyterian Church, 797 Summit Avenue, St. Paul. Mourners are welcome to arrive at 12:00 p.m. for a reception in the church parlor. They are also welcome to a post-service reception from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. at Midland Hills Country Club, 2001 Fulham Street, Roseville. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Children's Minnesota Foundation at 5901 Lincoln Drive, CBC-3-FOUN, Edina, MN 55436 or online at https://www.childrensmn.org/giving.

Forrest Blanton Bessinger, Jr.

December 4, 1940 - August 25, 2026

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