Grace Maney Bennett

Grace Carolyn Maney Bennett, 95, died Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at the Western North Carolina Baptist Home in Asheville. Born May 7, 1911, in Barnardsville, NC, she was the daughter of the late Dora Ann Burleson Maney and James Crisley Maney. She was a 1928 graduate of Weaver High School in Weaverville, and a 1930 graduate of Biltmore Junior College in Asheville. She was married for 65 years to John Carmine Bennett, Jr., who died in 1997. Also preceding her in death were a stillborn son; a sister, Mabel Maney Woody; and two brothers, Robert Glenn Maney and James C. Maney, Jr. Mrs. Bennett, serving in various offices, was a member for more than 50 years of the Women?s Auxiliary to the Railway Mail Association which, in 1950, became the Women?s Auxiliary to the National Postal Transport Association. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Asheville for 58 years and worked in the church nursery for more than 40 years. Prior to moving to assisted living, she was a member of the Sand Hill Good Neighbors Club in Candler. She devoted her life to being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and her family will always treasure her influence in their lives and the memory of her humor and strong spirit. Her survivors include a brother, William C. (Bill) Maney, and his wife Evelyne, of Asheville; a son and his wife, Ed and Irene Bennett of Madison, Tenn.; a daughter and her husband, Carolyn and Jim Mahaffey of Atlanta, Ga.; a daughter, Kathy Murdock, of Marietta, Ga.; a grandson and his wife, John and Molly Whatley and their daughters Katherine Grace and Mary Carolyn Whatley of Asheville; a granddaughter, Marla Christie and her daughter Kayla Christie of Hickory, N.C.; a granddaughter and her husband, Jennifer and David Fletcher and their sons Jack and Michael Fletcher of Peachtree City, Ga.; a grandson, Jason Murdock, of Covington, Ga.; a grandson, Ben Murdock, of Raleigh, N.C.; and several nieces and nephews. The family especially wishes to thank the staff of the WNC Baptist Home in Asheville for all of their loving care, kindness, and patience throughout more than eight years of Mrs. Bennett?s residence there. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral Home, followed by burial at Green Hills Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Buddy Corbin will officiate. Her family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. The family asks those desiring to make a memorial contribution to consider Calvary Baptist Church, 531 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806; or WNC Baptist Retirement Home, 213 Richmond Hill Drive, Asheville, NC 28806.