Neola-Merle Lee Bennett, 84, passed away Sunday, July 24, 2016, at Ruby Memorial Hospital. He was born Aug. 18, 1931, in Neola to the late Jasper Marvin Bennett and Evalee Morgan Bennett. Merle lived in Detroit until moving to West Virginia in 1996 when he retired from a truck driving job where he worked as an over the road driver. He was a service member to the United States Navy. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Betty Jo Simmons Bennett of Neola; sons, Mark Bennett and wife Lori of Dansville, IN, Gary Bennett and wife Sue of Romulus, MI and Kevin Bennett and wife Mary of McHenry, MD; sisters, Wanda Kirk and husband Dewey of Covington, VA; and grandchildren, Katie, Kevin Lee, Kristen, Kole and Amber. Funeral services were held on Thursday, July 28, at the Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home in Lewisburg, where Pastor Everett Defibaugh officiated. Burial was in Greenbrier Memorial Gardens with Military Honors. Friends called at the funeral home Wednesday evening, July 27. Please send online condolences by visiting www.WallaceandWallaceFH.com.
