Sharon Kaye Benthall was born on Tuesday, July 18, 1944 in Cherokee County, Texas to Kenneth Lee Benthall and Zerita Aldena Smith.
She had four siblings: Kenneth Neil Benthall, Carolyn Lynette Benthall Nelson, Markle Lee Benthall and James Graham Benthall.
Her maternal grandparents were James Monroe Smith and Mary Jane Powell.
Sharon was my mother's, Helen Francis Wood Deel, cousin. For several years, Sharon courageously fought a losing battle against kidney disease. During this time, she was a tremendous inspiration to her family.
She died on Friday, April 8, 1966 in Houston, Harris County, Texas. She was 21 years old.
The following are some poems that Sharon wrote during this time.
"The house is now quiet and still.
Not a soul is around.
The silence doesn't seem real,
For there is not one sound.
Only my breathing is heard,
Only my thoughts making noise,
Taking flight like an untamed bird;
Playing with ideas, like toys.
Seeking an answer here,
Asking a question there,
Absorbing knowledge to make things clear,
For solving problems hard to bear.
So I sit here writing,
In the quiet of the night,
All my thoughts come out from hiding,
To make known the mind's sight." (1963)
"Have I ever told you,
the words upon my heart?
How every word is waiting
Long, as from the very start.
Have I ever told you,
how I really feel?
The things I wish I could say and do,
If only from the lips I could remove the seal.
The sentences of precious gems,
Punctuated with the purest of gold,
Spilled from a ladened treasure chest,
Within this heart I hold.
Words of the sweetest nature,
Words of the loveliest sounds,
Words that tingle with granduer,
When drawn from the heart unbound.
I would say them all at once,
And hope you wouldn't be mad.
That I'd dare to tell you such things,
That were really not at all bad.
I could utter a word at a time;
A flowery phrase a day,
And hope and pray you wouldn't mind,
All the things I'd have to say.
I would say a "Thank You!"
Or maybe a "You're Right!"
And with words colored with pulchritude,
I'd paint a word-filled sight.
Romanticists might call it love.
Others would call it gratitude.
There are many words that might do,
But I choose to call it You!" (1963)
"The soul is trapped by the body;
the torture they both must go thru,
In order to exist as each,
separate, yet mirrored views." (1965)
Inscription on Sharon's headstone:
IN MEMORIAM
SHARON KAYE BENTHALL
JULY 18, 1944 - APRIL 8, 1966
HER LIFE WAS FILLED WITH LOVE, FAITH, PATIENCE
AND UNCOMPLAINING ENDURANCE. HER MEMORY, AS
WAS HER LIFE, WILL BE A BLESSING TO ALL WHO
KNEW HER.
"PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE
LORD IS THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS"
She had four siblings: Kenneth Neil Benthall, Carolyn Lynette Benthall Nelson, Markle Lee Benthall and James Graham Benthall.
Her maternal grandparents were James Monroe Smith and Mary Jane Powell.
Sharon was my mother's, Helen Francis Wood Deel, cousin. For several years, Sharon courageously fought a losing battle against kidney disease. During this time, she was a tremendous inspiration to her family.
She died on Friday, April 8, 1966 in Houston, Harris County, Texas. She was 21 years old.
The following are some poems that Sharon wrote during this time.
"The house is now quiet and still.
Not a soul is around.
The silence doesn't seem real,
For there is not one sound.
Only my breathing is heard,
Only my thoughts making noise,
Taking flight like an untamed bird;
Playing with ideas, like toys.
Seeking an answer here,
Asking a question there,
Absorbing knowledge to make things clear,
For solving problems hard to bear.
So I sit here writing,
In the quiet of the night,
All my thoughts come out from hiding,
To make known the mind's sight." (1963)
"Have I ever told you,
the words upon my heart?
How every word is waiting
Long, as from the very start.
Have I ever told you,
how I really feel?
The things I wish I could say and do,
If only from the lips I could remove the seal.
The sentences of precious gems,
Punctuated with the purest of gold,
Spilled from a ladened treasure chest,
Within this heart I hold.
Words of the sweetest nature,
Words of the loveliest sounds,
Words that tingle with granduer,
When drawn from the heart unbound.
I would say them all at once,
And hope you wouldn't be mad.
That I'd dare to tell you such things,
That were really not at all bad.
I could utter a word at a time;
A flowery phrase a day,
And hope and pray you wouldn't mind,
All the things I'd have to say.
I would say a "Thank You!"
Or maybe a "You're Right!"
And with words colored with pulchritude,
I'd paint a word-filled sight.
Romanticists might call it love.
Others would call it gratitude.
There are many words that might do,
But I choose to call it You!" (1963)
"The soul is trapped by the body;
the torture they both must go thru,
In order to exist as each,
separate, yet mirrored views." (1965)
Inscription on Sharon's headstone:
IN MEMORIAM
SHARON KAYE BENTHALL
JULY 18, 1944 - APRIL 8, 1966
HER LIFE WAS FILLED WITH LOVE, FAITH, PATIENCE
AND UNCOMPLAINING ENDURANCE. HER MEMORY, AS
WAS HER LIFE, WILL BE A BLESSING TO ALL WHO
KNEW HER.
"PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE
LORD IS THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS"
Sharon Kaye Benthall was born on Tuesday, July 18, 1944 in Cherokee County, Texas to Kenneth Lee Benthall and Zerita Aldena Smith.
She had four siblings: Kenneth Neil Benthall, Carolyn Lynette Benthall Nelson, Markle Lee Benthall and James Graham Benthall.
Her maternal grandparents were James Monroe Smith and Mary Jane Powell.
Sharon was my mother's, Helen Francis Wood Deel, cousin. For several years, Sharon courageously fought a losing battle against kidney disease. During this time, she was a tremendous inspiration to her family.
She died on Friday, April 8, 1966 in Houston, Harris County, Texas. She was 21 years old.
The following are some poems that Sharon wrote during this time.
"The house is now quiet and still.
Not a soul is around.
The silence doesn't seem real,
For there is not one sound.
Only my breathing is heard,
Only my thoughts making noise,
Taking flight like an untamed bird;
Playing with ideas, like toys.
Seeking an answer here,
Asking a question there,
Absorbing knowledge to make things clear,
For solving problems hard to bear.
So I sit here writing,
In the quiet of the night,
All my thoughts come out from hiding,
To make known the mind's sight." (1963)
"Have I ever told you,
the words upon my heart?
How every word is waiting
Long, as from the very start.
Have I ever told you,
how I really feel?
The things I wish I could say and do,
If only from the lips I could remove the seal.
The sentences of precious gems,
Punctuated with the purest of gold,
Spilled from a ladened treasure chest,
Within this heart I hold.
Words of the sweetest nature,
Words of the loveliest sounds,
Words that tingle with granduer,
When drawn from the heart unbound.
I would say them all at once,
And hope you wouldn't be mad.
That I'd dare to tell you such things,
That were really not at all bad.
I could utter a word at a time;
A flowery phrase a day,
And hope and pray you wouldn't mind,
All the things I'd have to say.
I would say a "Thank You!"
Or maybe a "You're Right!"
And with words colored with pulchritude,
I'd paint a word-filled sight.
Romanticists might call it love.
Others would call it gratitude.
There are many words that might do,
But I choose to call it You!" (1963)
"The soul is trapped by the body;
the torture they both must go thru,
In order to exist as each,
separate, yet mirrored views." (1965)
Inscription on Sharon's headstone:
IN MEMORIAM
SHARON KAYE BENTHALL
JULY 18, 1944 - APRIL 8, 1966
HER LIFE WAS FILLED WITH LOVE, FAITH, PATIENCE
AND UNCOMPLAINING ENDURANCE. HER MEMORY, AS
WAS HER LIFE, WILL BE A BLESSING TO ALL WHO
KNEW HER.
"PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE
LORD IS THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS"
She had four siblings: Kenneth Neil Benthall, Carolyn Lynette Benthall Nelson, Markle Lee Benthall and James Graham Benthall.
Her maternal grandparents were James Monroe Smith and Mary Jane Powell.
Sharon was my mother's, Helen Francis Wood Deel, cousin. For several years, Sharon courageously fought a losing battle against kidney disease. During this time, she was a tremendous inspiration to her family.
She died on Friday, April 8, 1966 in Houston, Harris County, Texas. She was 21 years old.
The following are some poems that Sharon wrote during this time.
"The house is now quiet and still.
Not a soul is around.
The silence doesn't seem real,
For there is not one sound.
Only my breathing is heard,
Only my thoughts making noise,
Taking flight like an untamed bird;
Playing with ideas, like toys.
Seeking an answer here,
Asking a question there,
Absorbing knowledge to make things clear,
For solving problems hard to bear.
So I sit here writing,
In the quiet of the night,
All my thoughts come out from hiding,
To make known the mind's sight." (1963)
"Have I ever told you,
the words upon my heart?
How every word is waiting
Long, as from the very start.
Have I ever told you,
how I really feel?
The things I wish I could say and do,
If only from the lips I could remove the seal.
The sentences of precious gems,
Punctuated with the purest of gold,
Spilled from a ladened treasure chest,
Within this heart I hold.
Words of the sweetest nature,
Words of the loveliest sounds,
Words that tingle with granduer,
When drawn from the heart unbound.
I would say them all at once,
And hope you wouldn't be mad.
That I'd dare to tell you such things,
That were really not at all bad.
I could utter a word at a time;
A flowery phrase a day,
And hope and pray you wouldn't mind,
All the things I'd have to say.
I would say a "Thank You!"
Or maybe a "You're Right!"
And with words colored with pulchritude,
I'd paint a word-filled sight.
Romanticists might call it love.
Others would call it gratitude.
There are many words that might do,
But I choose to call it You!" (1963)
"The soul is trapped by the body;
the torture they both must go thru,
In order to exist as each,
separate, yet mirrored views." (1965)
Inscription on Sharon's headstone:
IN MEMORIAM
SHARON KAYE BENTHALL
JULY 18, 1944 - APRIL 8, 1966
HER LIFE WAS FILLED WITH LOVE, FAITH, PATIENCE
AND UNCOMPLAINING ENDURANCE. HER MEMORY, AS
WAS HER LIFE, WILL BE A BLESSING TO ALL WHO
KNEW HER.
"PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE
LORD IS THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS"
