Clara L. Bennett, 104 years and 7 months young, passed away Friday, June 1, 2007, in Austin, Texas.
She was born November 15, 1902, to Samuel and Cora Russell on a farm near Anson, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband Jesse Burney Bennett, who died in Abilene, Texas on July 8, 1966. Other family members who passed on before her include her parents, three brothers, five sisters and their spouses.
Clara survived the world flu epidemic, World War I, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II, during the first 50 years of her life. She married Jesse Burney Bennett at age 31, and together they raised their two children. Clara began working as a teacher in a one-room school, in the West Texas towns of Paradise and Glory. Working for more than 60 years as a title abstractor in Dallas and Abilene, she begrudgingly retired at the "early" age of 82.
Clara became a Christian at an early age. An obedient servant to God's commands, she hid His Word in her heart by committing large portions of Scripture to memory. Clara shared the Gospel with others, and gave generously of her time, talent and resources to those in need. With her love of laughter, singing, and telling jokes, Clara encouraged those around her with her positive outlook on life. Caring for her family, serving her Lord and Savior, and helping people, was Clara's way of living a full and happy life. A Sunday school teacher for many years in the "A.D.Y." (Ain't Dead Yet) class at Abilene's University Baptist, Clara joked she was the teacher by default, since she outlived the rest of the class.
Clara's descendants include her two children, seven grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She is survived by her son David, his wife Linda and her "Texas" grandchildren: Rhonda; Gregory and his wife Heidi; Anthony and his wife Jayme; and great-granddaughters, Katelynn, and Jayde.
She is also survived by her daughter Clara Ann Minning of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and her "Yankee" grandchildren: Dianna and Randy Chad, and their children Nicholas and Hannah; Thomas and Sara Minning, and their children Christopher, Mathew, and Rachel; Cheryl and David Oldham, and their children Ian, Austin Orian, Erin, and one great-great-grandson, Keegan; Todd and Chen Minning and their children, Angela, T.J., Tim, Alexandria, Joseph, and one great-great-granddaughter, Meila Jade. Many dear nephews and nieces survive Clara, including: Rev. Morsey Saunders, Rev. Wendell Russell, Dwayne Butler, and their wives. Clara is also survived by long-time Abilene friends LaVerne Sawyer, and Bobby and Clarice Mangum.
The family wishes to especially thank her friends and caregivers for their loving and tender care: the staff of Buckner Villas, where Clara resided these past ten years; physician Dr. Michael Pellegrini; and Chaplain Rev. Kenneth Harpster. Clara will be greatly missed by her family, caregivers and friends.
Family visitation will be held Monday, June 4, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home. Rev. Kenneth Harpster will officiate at the funeral services Tuesday, June 5, 2007, at 2 p.m., at the Chapel of Faith, 5701 Hwy 277 South, Abilene.
Remembrances may be made in Clara's name to: Buckner Baptist Benevolences, 600 N. Pearl Street, Suite 2000, Dallas, TX, 75201; or Buckner Baptist Children's Home, 456 N. Mays, Round Rock, Texas, 78664.
Obituary from Abilene Reporter News
She was born November 15, 1902, to Samuel and Cora Russell on a farm near Anson, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband Jesse Burney Bennett, who died in Abilene, Texas on July 8, 1966. Other family members who passed on before her include her parents, three brothers, five sisters and their spouses.
Clara survived the world flu epidemic, World War I, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II, during the first 50 years of her life. She married Jesse Burney Bennett at age 31, and together they raised their two children. Clara began working as a teacher in a one-room school, in the West Texas towns of Paradise and Glory. Working for more than 60 years as a title abstractor in Dallas and Abilene, she begrudgingly retired at the "early" age of 82.
Clara became a Christian at an early age. An obedient servant to God's commands, she hid His Word in her heart by committing large portions of Scripture to memory. Clara shared the Gospel with others, and gave generously of her time, talent and resources to those in need. With her love of laughter, singing, and telling jokes, Clara encouraged those around her with her positive outlook on life. Caring for her family, serving her Lord and Savior, and helping people, was Clara's way of living a full and happy life. A Sunday school teacher for many years in the "A.D.Y." (Ain't Dead Yet) class at Abilene's University Baptist, Clara joked she was the teacher by default, since she outlived the rest of the class.
Clara's descendants include her two children, seven grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She is survived by her son David, his wife Linda and her "Texas" grandchildren: Rhonda; Gregory and his wife Heidi; Anthony and his wife Jayme; and great-granddaughters, Katelynn, and Jayde.
She is also survived by her daughter Clara Ann Minning of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and her "Yankee" grandchildren: Dianna and Randy Chad, and their children Nicholas and Hannah; Thomas and Sara Minning, and their children Christopher, Mathew, and Rachel; Cheryl and David Oldham, and their children Ian, Austin Orian, Erin, and one great-great-grandson, Keegan; Todd and Chen Minning and their children, Angela, T.J., Tim, Alexandria, Joseph, and one great-great-granddaughter, Meila Jade. Many dear nephews and nieces survive Clara, including: Rev. Morsey Saunders, Rev. Wendell Russell, Dwayne Butler, and their wives. Clara is also survived by long-time Abilene friends LaVerne Sawyer, and Bobby and Clarice Mangum.
The family wishes to especially thank her friends and caregivers for their loving and tender care: the staff of Buckner Villas, where Clara resided these past ten years; physician Dr. Michael Pellegrini; and Chaplain Rev. Kenneth Harpster. Clara will be greatly missed by her family, caregivers and friends.
Family visitation will be held Monday, June 4, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home. Rev. Kenneth Harpster will officiate at the funeral services Tuesday, June 5, 2007, at 2 p.m., at the Chapel of Faith, 5701 Hwy 277 South, Abilene.
Remembrances may be made in Clara's name to: Buckner Baptist Benevolences, 600 N. Pearl Street, Suite 2000, Dallas, TX, 75201; or Buckner Baptist Children's Home, 456 N. Mays, Round Rock, Texas, 78664.
Obituary from Abilene Reporter News
Clara L. Bennett, 104 years and 7 months young, passed away Friday, June 1, 2007, in Austin, Texas.
She was born November 15, 1902, to Samuel and Cora Russell on a farm near Anson, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband Jesse Burney Bennett, who died in Abilene, Texas on July 8, 1966. Other family members who passed on before her include her parents, three brothers, five sisters and their spouses.
Clara survived the world flu epidemic, World War I, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II, during the first 50 years of her life. She married Jesse Burney Bennett at age 31, and together they raised their two children. Clara began working as a teacher in a one-room school, in the West Texas towns of Paradise and Glory. Working for more than 60 years as a title abstractor in Dallas and Abilene, she begrudgingly retired at the "early" age of 82.
Clara became a Christian at an early age. An obedient servant to God's commands, she hid His Word in her heart by committing large portions of Scripture to memory. Clara shared the Gospel with others, and gave generously of her time, talent and resources to those in need. With her love of laughter, singing, and telling jokes, Clara encouraged those around her with her positive outlook on life. Caring for her family, serving her Lord and Savior, and helping people, was Clara's way of living a full and happy life. A Sunday school teacher for many years in the "A.D.Y." (Ain't Dead Yet) class at Abilene's University Baptist, Clara joked she was the teacher by default, since she outlived the rest of the class.
Clara's descendants include her two children, seven grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She is survived by her son David, his wife Linda and her "Texas" grandchildren: Rhonda; Gregory and his wife Heidi; Anthony and his wife Jayme; and great-granddaughters, Katelynn, and Jayde.
She is also survived by her daughter Clara Ann Minning of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and her "Yankee" grandchildren: Dianna and Randy Chad, and their children Nicholas and Hannah; Thomas and Sara Minning, and their children Christopher, Mathew, and Rachel; Cheryl and David Oldham, and their children Ian, Austin Orian, Erin, and one great-great-grandson, Keegan; Todd and Chen Minning and their children, Angela, T.J., Tim, Alexandria, Joseph, and one great-great-granddaughter, Meila Jade. Many dear nephews and nieces survive Clara, including: Rev. Morsey Saunders, Rev. Wendell Russell, Dwayne Butler, and their wives. Clara is also survived by long-time Abilene friends LaVerne Sawyer, and Bobby and Clarice Mangum.
The family wishes to especially thank her friends and caregivers for their loving and tender care: the staff of Buckner Villas, where Clara resided these past ten years; physician Dr. Michael Pellegrini; and Chaplain Rev. Kenneth Harpster. Clara will be greatly missed by her family, caregivers and friends.
Family visitation will be held Monday, June 4, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home. Rev. Kenneth Harpster will officiate at the funeral services Tuesday, June 5, 2007, at 2 p.m., at the Chapel of Faith, 5701 Hwy 277 South, Abilene.
Remembrances may be made in Clara's name to: Buckner Baptist Benevolences, 600 N. Pearl Street, Suite 2000, Dallas, TX, 75201; or Buckner Baptist Children's Home, 456 N. Mays, Round Rock, Texas, 78664.
Obituary from Abilene Reporter News
She was born November 15, 1902, to Samuel and Cora Russell on a farm near Anson, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband Jesse Burney Bennett, who died in Abilene, Texas on July 8, 1966. Other family members who passed on before her include her parents, three brothers, five sisters and their spouses.
Clara survived the world flu epidemic, World War I, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II, during the first 50 years of her life. She married Jesse Burney Bennett at age 31, and together they raised their two children. Clara began working as a teacher in a one-room school, in the West Texas towns of Paradise and Glory. Working for more than 60 years as a title abstractor in Dallas and Abilene, she begrudgingly retired at the "early" age of 82.
Clara became a Christian at an early age. An obedient servant to God's commands, she hid His Word in her heart by committing large portions of Scripture to memory. Clara shared the Gospel with others, and gave generously of her time, talent and resources to those in need. With her love of laughter, singing, and telling jokes, Clara encouraged those around her with her positive outlook on life. Caring for her family, serving her Lord and Savior, and helping people, was Clara's way of living a full and happy life. A Sunday school teacher for many years in the "A.D.Y." (Ain't Dead Yet) class at Abilene's University Baptist, Clara joked she was the teacher by default, since she outlived the rest of the class.
Clara's descendants include her two children, seven grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She is survived by her son David, his wife Linda and her "Texas" grandchildren: Rhonda; Gregory and his wife Heidi; Anthony and his wife Jayme; and great-granddaughters, Katelynn, and Jayde.
She is also survived by her daughter Clara Ann Minning of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and her "Yankee" grandchildren: Dianna and Randy Chad, and their children Nicholas and Hannah; Thomas and Sara Minning, and their children Christopher, Mathew, and Rachel; Cheryl and David Oldham, and their children Ian, Austin Orian, Erin, and one great-great-grandson, Keegan; Todd and Chen Minning and their children, Angela, T.J., Tim, Alexandria, Joseph, and one great-great-granddaughter, Meila Jade. Many dear nephews and nieces survive Clara, including: Rev. Morsey Saunders, Rev. Wendell Russell, Dwayne Butler, and their wives. Clara is also survived by long-time Abilene friends LaVerne Sawyer, and Bobby and Clarice Mangum.
The family wishes to especially thank her friends and caregivers for their loving and tender care: the staff of Buckner Villas, where Clara resided these past ten years; physician Dr. Michael Pellegrini; and Chaplain Rev. Kenneth Harpster. Clara will be greatly missed by her family, caregivers and friends.
Family visitation will be held Monday, June 4, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home. Rev. Kenneth Harpster will officiate at the funeral services Tuesday, June 5, 2007, at 2 p.m., at the Chapel of Faith, 5701 Hwy 277 South, Abilene.
Remembrances may be made in Clara's name to: Buckner Baptist Benevolences, 600 N. Pearl Street, Suite 2000, Dallas, TX, 75201; or Buckner Baptist Children's Home, 456 N. Mays, Round Rock, Texas, 78664.
Obituary from Abilene Reporter News
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