Alice "Virginia" Bennett, age 93, passed away on December 5, 2018 at Liberty Heights in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She was an Air Force wife, a loving and devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother, sister and friend.
Virginia was born on January 30, 1925 in Mount Calm, Texas to the late Joseph and Leora Virginia (Dyer) Russell. She was a 1942 graduate of Prairie Hill High School. She married John Allen Bennett on October 3, 1942 in Waco, Texas
Virginia had a number of occupations and interests in her colorful life, selling ice cream after high school and working in various gift shops later in life. She enjoyed the outdoors and enjoyed describing how to pick cotton on the family farm as a child. She riveted B-36's at the end of WWII and after the war left the Convair factory to take care of her two daughters. After a tornado hit Fort Worth in 1952 and wiped out the majority of B-36's at Carswell AFB, she and her fellow "Rosie" riveters were recalled and in six weeks they had most of the bombers back in service. She said she was the fastest riveter on the line!
Small but mighty, she was a fierce competitor and played just about every sport imaginable. While working at a bowling alley in Denver she had a high game of 298 and averaged 232. She played softball for the Ford Motor Company and complained to the end about all the bruises and scrapes endured after sliding into second base!
She was preceded in death by her husband Chief Warrant Officer John A. Bennett, USAF (Ret); two sisters and eight brothers.
She is survived by her daughters, Ann (John C.) Leopold of Monument, Colorado and Jeanette (Wayne) Myers of Merritt Island, Florida; three grandchildren, John Burroughs (son, Jonathan; daughter, Sarah) of Monument, Colorado, Scott (Chrysti) Burroughs (sons, Titus and Max) of Gleneagle, Colorado and Cynthia (Kenneth) Fouse (sons, Hayden and Tristan) of Monument, Colorado; sister, Jo Bess Russell of Irving, Texas. John and Ann's marriage added three more grandchildren and nine more great grandchildren.
Visitation, 2:15PM - 3:00PM, Wednesday, December 12, 2018, The Springs Funeral Services-North, 6575 Oakwood Boulevard, Colorado Springs 80923.
Funeral Services and a Celebration of Life, 3:00PM, Wednesday, December 12, 2018, The Springs Funeral Services-North, 6575 Oakwood Boulevard, Colorado Springs 80923.
Graveside Service will be 1:00 p.m., Saturday, December 15, 2018 in the Prairie Hill Cemetery in Prairie Hill, TX with Rev. Rick Cundieff officiating.
Memorials may be made to the Prairie Hill Cemetery Association.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Service Details.
Service
When:
Saturday, December 15th, 2018 1:00pm
Location:
Prairie Hill Cemetery
Address:
FM 339 PRAIRIE HILL, TX 76678