By Staff
Lillie Mae Bennett, 91, of North 10th Street, Niles, died at 10:48 a.m. Sunday, April 20, 2008, at Lakeland Specialty Hospital, Berrien Springs, following an extended illness.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. at Friday, April 25, New Vision – An Apostolic faith Assembly, Niles, with District Elder Carlton D. Burrel of New Vision and the rev. Horace G. Howard, Jr. of Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Blytheville, officiating.
Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.
The family will receive relatives and friends at the church beginning at 10 a.m. Friday.
She was born on Aug. 9, 1916, in Hernedo, Miss. To Charlie Bedford and Mary Tate. She has lived in Niles since 1945.
She helped many Niles families with housekeeping services.
Bennett accepted Christ at Union Grove Baptist Church in Hernedo, Miss., through the pastorate of the Rev. Hezekiah Gooch. She was a member of Mount Calvary Church, Niles.
She invested unusual amounts of time and effort caring for her family and will be remembered as a respected and loved mother of a very successful family.
He husband, Joseph James "Joe B" Bennett died in Jan. 20, 2004.
She was also preceded in death by brothers, Willie, Jessie, Charlie, Louis and James Bedford and sisters, Laura Wilson, Sallie Boston, Dorothy Bedford, Mildred Howard and Alma Cherry.
Surviving family includes four daughters, Ethel Hightower of South Bend, Ind., Christine (Randolph Williams) Cherry of Kalamazoo, Ernestine (Donald) Taylor of Niles and Eulah (Cartier Shields) Bedford of Niles; two sons, Nathaniel (Evette) Bedford of Niles and Willie Cherry of Niles; 11 grandchildren, including Staff Sergeant Jeese Adams, U.S. Air Force and Donald Taylor II, who provided her care; eight great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends, including nieces, Forestine (Charles) McGuin of Las Vegas, Nev. And Gloria (James) Darby of Milwaukee, Wis. and friends, Lonnie and Terry.
Memorials may be made to Patient Activities Fund at Lakeland Specialty Hospital.
Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.