He married his wife Tonie Johnson Bense in 1975, and they have three children: Courtney Weatherford, Jason Bense, and Taylor Bense. Tonie owns two dance studios, has 500 students, 13 instructors, and teaches 16 classes a week. Courtney is a full-time mother of 4 and active in several volunteer groups in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Her husband, Will Weatherford is the immediate past Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Jason Bense is a partner with Allan Bense in a construction business, and Taylor Bense is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and is a musician in New York City. In addition, Bense's older sister, Dr. Judith Bense, just recently retired as president of the University of West Florida, one of Florida's twelve public universities.