Bethany, MO: Mary Lou Bennett, 84, Bethany, MO passed away Monday, September 21, 2020 at a Bethany, MO hospital.
She was born on November 4, 1935 in Harrison, Arkansas to William Theodore âBillâ Carnahan and Virgie Elizabeth Tigg Keeton. Mary Lou attended elementary and junior high school and two years of high school in Harrison before moving to Bethany, Missouri for her junior year where her step-father had taken up employment at the Stave Mill in Bethany.
Everyone that knew Mary Lou knows that music was a huge part of her life. She embarked on her singing career at the tender age of five in the First Christian Church where she and her sister, Billie Sue, sang in the junior choir.
At approximately 10 years of age, her mother switched the family to the First Baptist Church of Harrison, where the girls took part in everything offered from memorizing scripture to music; lots of music! Especially when Mary Louâs mother had bought a piano for the girls about a year before the change. Mary Lou quickly adapted to the piano and later picked up the guitar and some mandolin. She played all the instruments by ear. She never learned to read sheet music. There was no need.
Mary Lou was raised by her mother and grandmother until she was 12 years old when Virgie married Britt Keeton. She only saw her real father once while growing up, at age nine. He made no effort to be part of his girlsâ lives, but Britt did his best to make it up. Mary Lou loved her step-father very, very much and he loved both the girls the same.
After the move to Bethany in 1951, Mary Lou won 1st Runner Up in the first Miss Harrison Contest out of over 100 participants. Quite an accomplishment for a young lady just moving into town. However, there was a reason for thisâŠShe was beautiful!! The most beautiful girl in the world according to Wilburn Bennett, as well as many others. The chase was on and Wilburn won! The first time Wilburn saw her, she was working at Wheeler Drug and he told his buddy he was going to marry her⊠His buddy laughed. The rest is history.
Mary Lou and Wilburn were soon getting married and having a beautiful baby boy, Michael Lee, in 1952. Mary Lou was 16 and Wilburn was 19. Wilburn was always so proud of Mary Lou for getting her diploma while she was pregnant with Michael. Then, in a crushing manner, the first major hardship interrupted three young lives. Mary Lou awoke one morning and Michael had died in her arms of SIDS. A devastating blow to two teenagers just trying to find their way in life.
Not long after Michael passed away, Wilburn was drafted to go to work for Uncle Sam. The Korean War was going on at the time. Wilburn wasnât too interested in the job offer, but did his duty and served his time.
After basic training and AIT at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mary Lou and Wilburn moved to Augusta, Georgia where Wilburn was stationed at Camp Gordon. Mary Lou soon became pregnant with her second child. Ricky Lee was born on December 6, 1953. She was so thrilled. There had been an empty ache in her heart since the death of Michael.
In 1955, after Wilburnâs discharge, Mary Lou had another Boy, Timothy Blane, born on December 24. She always claimed that to be her best Christmas gift ever. Tim would probably agree with that.
Mary Lou then decided to try one more time for a baby girl. Oh, how she longed for a little girl. So, on November 1, 1961, she had a charming, blonde haired, blue eyed bouncing, baby boy. Phillip Jay Bennett was born.
Wilburn and Mary Lou began their ministry in 1958, and continued holding revivals and pastoring churches until 2005 when they officially semi-retired. Since that time, they still have held services occasionally.
Mary Lou and her sons, Rick and Tim, sang three part harmony and Wilburn preached in churches and gospel venues across Missouri, Iowa, Kentucky, Illinois, Arkansas, and other places across the Midwest before their retirement. Wilburn always credited Mary Lou for his successes and accomplishments, his rock in times of duress and hardship, and his soul mate always.
A stroke in 2012 confined Mary Lou to a wheel chair and she had since been a resident at Crestview. In the nearly ten years Mary Lou was at Crestview, Wilburn went out twice a day to visit her. After COVID arrived, he went out twice a day and talked to her through the window. Rain or shine, Wilburn was there. The love between Mary Lou and Wilburn endured 68 years and never faltered, even during the hardest of times. Mary Lou has now gone on to reap her reward in heaven, singing and playing piano with the angels.
She was preceded in death by her son, Michael Lee; father, Britt Keeton; mother, Virgie Keeton and her sister, Billie Sue Cunningham.
Mary Lou is survived by her husband of 68 years, Wilburn Bennett; three sons, Ricky Lee (Shawna) Bennett, Timothy Blane Bennett, and Phillip Jay (Tammy) Bennett; 10 grandchildren, Travis Lee (Aimee) Bennett, Casey Lane (Angela) Bennett, Michael Keeton Bennett, Luke Daniel Bennett, John Jay Bennett, Ashley Anne Bennett, Whitney Lynn Bennett, James Tylor (Laurel) Perkins, Tucker Austin (Chloie) Perkins, and Tanner Michael Perkins; 13 great grandchildren, Karsyn Bennett, Keeton Bennett, Aidan Williams, Ellie Jo Sperry, Fallon Reanne Payne, Alex Bennett, Aniston Bennett, Carter Bennett, Riley Perkins, Talan Perkins, Macklin Perkins, Sloane Perkins, and Pyper Lynn Bennett; nieces, Kim Brown (Rick and Ava), Pam Marlin and a very special friend and adopted daughter, Ginger Henley.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 25 at the Assembly of God Church, Bethany, MO under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Burial will follow in Miriam Cemetery, Bethany, MO. The family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday at the church where social distancing will be observed and masks are recommended. Memorials may be made to the Assembly of God Church of Bethany in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.