Mary Elizabeth “Lib” Bennett
86, Kokomo
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, at Magee`s Creek Baptist Church for Mary Elizabeth “Lib” Bennett, 86, of Kokomo, who passed away on Saturday, Nov. 18. Burial followed in the Darbun Community Cemetery in Darbun. Rev. Max Parris officiated at the services. Tim and Bobby Sanderson provided special music. Visitation was held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the services on Wednesday, Nov. 22, at Magee`s Creek Baptist Church.
She was born on Oct. 5, 1937, to Percy and Rena May in the Union/Tylertown Community of Walthall County. She attended and graduated from Tylertown High School. She was a member of Union Baptist Church where she came to know Jesus. She was a woman of faith who loved Jesus and served Him through church, community and missions. Family and friends have often called her a Proverbs 31 woman.
She graduated as a Registered Nurse from Our Lady of the Lake School of Nursing in Baton Rouge, La., in 1958. Being a nurse was a true calling in her life. Her nursing career included working in clinics, hospitals, home health and teaching nursing students in multiple capacities. Her love of healthcare often took her in many directions. After a tornado hit McComb, destroying school and shopping areas, she got in an ambulance and rode to the scene to provide first responder care to those injured. Her faith, compassion, strength, dedication, determination, mercy and commitment to helping others touched and changed many lives.
On July 4, 1959, she married the love of her life, Dewitt Bennett. They lived in the Darbun Community in Marion County on Dewitt’s family farm. She became a devoted member of Dewitt’s home church, Magee’s Creek Baptist Church. She immediately got involved where she served on various committees, one of her favorites was the Kitchen committee. She loved cooking and serving food. Over the years she taught Sunday School classes, Bible Studies and was president/director of the churches Women’s Missionary Union. She loved missions’ education, mission service projects and mission trips. One of her favorite community service projects was ministering to homebound individuals and providing fruit baskets for them. She loved mission trips to volunteer at Brantley Baptist Center and Baptist Friendship House in New Orleans, where her daughter served as a missionary. She loved living on a Dairy Farm and country life. One of her greatest joys from living in a rural area was to be available to family and friends living in the community when health issues arose. She was the first person many people called when they became sick. She sometimes took her two children with her when going to assist others. She instilled within her children the importance of caring about others and being there in times of need.
Her family was the joy of her life and she loved spending time with them.
She is preceded in death by her husband Dewitt, parents Percy and Rena May, brother Robert May (Elizabeth), sister Evelyn Harding (Jack), sister Linda Price (Jim), sister Amy Sanderson Sanders (Bob Sanderson, Jim Sanders).
Survivors include her two children, Danny (Karen Scarborough Bennett) and Kay; four granddaughters, Kristi Bennett-Holmes (Eric), Emily Bennett Greemann (Ryan), Danielle Bennett and Beth Bennett Cranford (Joel); one great-granddaughter, Faye Greemann; brother, Joe T May (Wanda); many nieces and nephews; and lots of grand and great-grand fur babies.
Pallbearers were Curtis Rimes, Brad Rimes, Jerry May, Dwight Rimes, Joseph Boone and Brian May. Honorary pallbearers were Ronnie Bennett, Jack Hartley, Bobby Sanderson, Fleet Miller Jr. and Tim Sanderson.
In lieu of flowers, Lib requested donations be made to Baptist Friendship House in New Orleans, La., or to the Mississippi Baptist Children’s Village.
Friends may sign an online guest register book at www.hathornfuneralhome.com. Hathorn Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
