Bettie L. Singleton Bennett

Bettie Louise Singleton Bennett, age 93, passed away Sunday, April 14, 2024. She was born in Conway, South Carolina on November 19, 1930. 

After graduating from Conway High School and St. Mary’s School of Nursing (where she earned her R.N. degree) she took the position of Night Nurse on O/B Gyn, where she helped deliver a lot of babies born at night in St. Mary’s Hospital. 

When night duty was getting in the way of home and family, she found a day job as Occupational Health Plant nurse at Texas City Refining Company (now Valero). This job turned out to be a lot more than taking care of employees’ injuries and sickness. She was made a member of the Safety, Fire and Rescue Department and was trained in their responsibilities. She actually did repelling for rescue, went to A & M fire school where she was required to suit up in their heavy protective attire and held their heavy hose and actually put out a fire. In other words, she learned what the Safety department does to keep workers safe. In order to be more efficient in all areas of her responsibilities she studied and became a certified E.M.T. She was a member of the Houston Occupational Health group of nurses and learned from their experiences through seminars and conferences all over the nation plus once she was invited to and attended in Melbourne, Australia. 

With her experience she felt the need to become certified, so she studied and traveled to Washington, DC where the exam was held, passed the exam and became a Certified Occupational Health Nurse. 

As this part of her life was rewarding and challenging, she chose to take early retirement to be with her retired husband. They spent five years together traveling around Texas before his heart gave out and he went to be with his Lord. 

Since he passed she kept traveling to places she had on her “bucket list”. She saw where Jesus was born, walked and taught and where He was crucified. She went into His Tomb with an overhead sign that said “He is not here for He has risen”. She saw where he ascended back to Heaven. She renewed her Baptism vows in the Jordan River. She waded in the Dead Sea, waded in the Mediterranean Sea, crossed the Red Sea into Egypt where she saw the Pyramids and the great Sphinx and where Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus was given Sanctuary until it was safe to go back to Israel. She cruised to Alaska and saw the Glacier. She went to Victoria, where she toured the spectacular Buchard Gardens and had “High Tea” in a historical hotel at beautiful Lake Louise. She also cruised and went through the Panama Canal (dug for a shorter route to Panama). She attended Mass at St. Peters in Rome, saw Michaelanglio’s Sistine Chapel ceiling painting (on his back) of “the beginning and the end”. She went to Munich and toured Dachau, one of the many sad and horrendous concentration and gas chambers that was used for the extermination of the Jews. A happier place was beautiful and pure and peaceful Nova Scotia. There were many other places abroad and in this beautiful country of ours that she got to see. 

She has spent her post traveling time volunteering many hours ushering at our 1894 Grand Opera House, attending Church worship, Agape Sunday School and activities at Moody Methodist Church. On Mondays she would study with her Bible Study Group, Thursdays, eating lunch with her many friends at the Senior luncheons, and tending her garden of Day Lilies, Easter Lilies, Amaryllis, Zinnias, Periwinkles, Corcopsis and Bluebonnets. 

She was preceded in death by her loving husband Elbert Dean Bennett; her parents Joe and Versia Duncan Singleton; grandparents Thurston and Laura Bell Owens Duncan and Jennie Singleton, Asa Walker  and Mollie Pierce Singleton; her son-in-law Bill Rankin; her precious brothers, Charles, Alvin and Lewis Singleton; her precious sisters, Laura Bell Singleton Hardee and Elda Singleton Rackly; and her Singleton and Duncan aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews on both sides of the family, all of whom she loved dearly and shared her young life with and never forgot them. 

She is survived by her children, Connie Bennett Rankin and “Bettie” Deana Bennett Rac and husband Nick; grandchildren, Deana Singleton Rac, Marjorie Rac Farris and husband Derick, John Daniel Rankin and Callie Rankin; great-grandson Ethan James Farris; also her Singleton brothers, Winston and wife JoAnne, James and wife Perlita, Dwayne and wife Carolyn, and one sweet sister Nina Rea Singleton Homes and husband Lee; and many nieces and nephews, all of these precious to her as she spoke of them all the time. 

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at J. Levy & Termini Funeral Home.  Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 10:00 A.M. at Moody Memorial Methodist Church, with Reverend Alicia Besser officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Park East Cemetery in Webster, Texas. 

Pallbearers will be Nick Rac, Wade Bailey, Pastor Matthew Brackman, John Saltzman, Barry Hailey and Rick Mudd. 

Honorary pallbearers will be Sgt. John-Daniel Rankin, Ethan Farris, Allen Rac, David Rac and Val Ramirez. 

She wishes to thank ALL of her family and friends, (which includes all coworker friends, teachers) for their friendship and encouragement throughout her life. The family would like to also give a special thanks to Elishia Jones, her special Senior Helper, who was there for her every need. 

She gives Praises to her Lord and Savior for these blessings. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Aspire Christian Academy at Peace Lutheran Church, 9111 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway, Texas City, Texas 77591

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