Lucille Leverett Bennett, 79, of Tifton died Thursday, October 4, 2007, at her daughter’s residence. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 7, 2007, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Dr. Wayne Roe will officiate with burial to follow in Tift Memorial Gardens. Grandsons – Michael Kirkland, Sr., John David Sumner, Paul Rowell, Jason Archambault, Andrew Bennett and nephew, Marty Leverett, will serve as pallbearers. Members of the Gardners Sunday School Class of Tifton's First Baptist Church will serve as honorary pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Saturday, October 6, 2007, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mrs. Bennett was born on March 18, 1928 in Waycross and was the daughter of Alfred Leverett and Etta Cobb Leverett, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Paul “Don” Bennett, who died September 8, 2007; two sisters, Ruby Melton and Florris Tucker; and two brothers, Pete Leverett and Huey Leverett. She was a retired store manager with S. H. Kress Company, owner and operator of the Downtown Deli and owner and operator of the City Welcome Service. She was a member of Tifton's First Baptist Church and had lived in Tifton for 30 years.
Mrs. Bennett is survived by three sons, Steve Bennett of Monroe, Timothy Bennett of Phoenix, Arizona, and Michael Kirkland of Cecil; three daughters, Donalyn Brown of Greenville, South Carolina, Tina Sumner of Tifton, and Margie Atkinson of Tifton; one brother, Morris Leverett of Leesburg; one sister, Frances Hicks of Waycross; 12 grandchildren, Michael Kirkland Jr., Misty Archambault, Paul Rowell, Geoffrey Bennett, Melissa Craft, Christy Brown, Joe Vitrella, Lisa Bennett, Brad Brown, John David Sumner, Heather Moore and Andrew Bennett; and 14 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Tiftarea or the Baptist Children’s Home.