Thelma Agatha Owens Bennett

Thelma Agatha Owens Bennett July 14, 1913-April 27, 2016 A long, long life well lived! Thelma Agatha Owens Bennett joined her husband Roy O. Bennett, daughter Jo Bennett Dunham, son-in-law J.T. Dunham and granddaughter Paulette Cox as well as a host of family and friends in the loving arms of the Heavenly Father on April 27, 2016. Her prayers for a peaceful, pain free accent to the kingdom of Christ would be in her sleep, without pain and surrounded by family were answered. Born Thelma Agatha Owens in Konawa, Oklahoma on July 14, 1913 to Samuel Thomas Owens and Mary Viola “Molly” Duncan, she was the second oldest of a family of ten children. That year, the life expectancy of a women born in the southwest was 44. She beat that by 58 years, outliving all of her lifetime friends and family of her generation except younger Sister Margaret. She married Roy Opal Bennett of Barnesdall, Oklahoma. They raised three daughters together; Mavis Elks, Jo Bennett Dunham and Patsy Kuzilik in Barnesdall. Roy joined the Heavenly Father on November 16, 1978. She was selfless and generous, always thinking of others and dispensing unconditional love. Her positive energy and optimism were infectious and her home in Barnesdall served as a magnet for family and friends. Her loves were her family, gardening, baking, picking strawberries and blackberries, camping and quilting among many others. Her quilts are prized possessions of her family members. She created many beautiful examples throughout her life. Picking fresh blackberries with her friend Poke Peterson became a ritual and the resulting blackberry cobbler legendary. She loved card games all of her life and later in life was a fixture at the Barnesdall senior citizens center, often driving “youngsters” a generation below her to the center for lunch and an afternoon of card games. She finally had to give up driving at age 94 due to declining vision. Daughter Patsy and her husband Jim Kuzilik provided her selfless and loving care in their home in Heber Springs, Arkansas during the last years of her life. Thelma is survived by two children Patsy Sue Kuzilik and her husband Jim, Mavis Elks and her husband Ray, eight grandchildren; Alan Kuzilik and his wife Kim, Claudia Young, Sonia Bland, Jimmy Kuzilik and his wife Heidi, Michael Dunham and his wife Susan, Bruce Cox, Carolyn Cox Rosende and Keith Cox. Her great grandchildren include Michael Drew Dunham, Camille Kuzilik and her fiancé John, Christina Kuzilik and her husband Ray, Brook Young, Sam Young, Lucrecia Pardinas and her husband Louis, Kendra Gillett and her husband Dusty, Chris Martin, Kira Kimberling, Kelly Cox, Brian Cox, Tonette Trojenousky, Michael Rosende and his wife Erin, and Marena Rosende. Great, great grandchildren include Chevelle Kirby, Austin Pardinas and his wife Rachael, Mikayla Pardinas, Checotah Gillett, Jaxxen Gillett, Aubrey Kimberling and Everette Rosende. Her great, great, great grand granddaughter Alayna Pardinas was born in February of 2015. A luncheon will be provided at noon, Saturday April 30 at the Community Center close to the railroad tracks on Main Street in Barnsdall. The Service will be held at Bible Holiness Church at 3rd and Vine at 1:00 that afternoon. Interment ceremonies will be held at the cemetery following the service. Food and refreshments will be available following the interment at the Community Center. The family requests in lieu of flowers a donation be made to Barnsdall Citizens, Inc., P.O. Box 443, Barnsdall, OK 74002 or to the charity of their choice in memory of Thelma Owens Bennett.

Thelma Agatha Owens Bennett

July 14, 1913 - April 27, 2016