Bettie Lou Williams Bennett, 74, daughter of the late, Willie Williams and Juanita Bowens Williams, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, July 18 after a short period of illness at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC. She was born on February 12, 1942 in Winston-Salem and graduated from Atkins High School in 1959, completing her course requirements in three years. Bettie attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (A&T) State University in Greensboro, NC and was a member of the Class of 1963 along with the legendary A&T/Greensboro/Woolworth Four, known for their historic lunch counter sit-in which was first staged on February 1, 1960. This and subsequent events led to the racial desegregation of that Woolworths location along with several others across the country and other businesses as well. Bettie participated in the Greensboro protests alongside her classmates and made her mark in history. She later attended Russell's Commercial Business College and graduated as Class Salutatorian.

Bettie's academic success and hard work ethic helped her secure a job at First Union National Bank in Winston-Salem, where she was the first African American hired to work in the Bookkeeping Department. After some time, Bettie sought to advance her career and obtained employment with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) where she worked for over 30 years until her retirement in 1998. During her tenure at the VA, Bettie served in various roles including File Clerk, Correspondent Clerk, Supervisor/Lead Correspondent Clerk, Claims Examiner and Senior Claims Examiner. In addition to these responsibilities, for more than a decade Bettie simultaneously functioned as an Equal Opportunity Counselor helping to advise and advocate for the fair treatment of her colleagues who were victims of discrimination in the workplace.

While a student at North Carolina A&T State University, Bettie met her future husband, the late Franklin R. Bennett. She married the love of her life on June 15, 1963 and celebrated more than 51 years of matrimony until his death on December 4, 2014. This union produced 4 children Sabrina (deceased), Felecia, Belinda and Jabbar. Bettie was a fiercely devoted wife, extremely kind and nurturing mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and loyal confidant and friend to many.

A devout Christian, Bettie was always connected with and engaged in the church and community. Throughout her life she held membership at only two Christian assemblies, Spencer Memorial Christian Church and Galilee Missionary Baptist Church. She joined Spencer Memorial as a child and served in numerous capacities including member of the Senior Choir, Chairperson of the Personnel Committee, Vice Moderator for the Church, Secretary of the Church Executive Board, Trustee and Secretary of the Trustee Board. Bettie was also a founding member of the Lambs for Christ, an affinity group for women of the church who fellowshipped together and studied God's Word in an effort to grow closer to Him and be of better service to His disciples. In 2008, Bettie moved her membership to Galilee and joined her late husband. At Galilee, she was consecrated as a Deaconess, a position she honored and took great pride in. In the community, Bettie volunteered her time and service with the Clothes Closet of St. John's Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Hold Out The Lifeline Ministry of Today's Woman, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina.

She leaves to cherish her memories, two daughters, Felecia (Terrance) Bennett-Giles of Clemmons, NC; and Drs. Belinda (Forrest) McFeeters of Chicago, IL; one son, Dr. Jabbar R. Bennett of Evanston, IL; three grandchildren, LaShay (LarDarius) Fox of Fayetteville, NC; Justin (Jessie) Bennett of Charlotte, NC; Isaiah Giles of Clemmons, NC; four great grandchildren, Jeremiah, Justin Jr., Jocelyn, and Jayla; one half-sister, Deborah Oaks of Winston-Salem; one half-brother, Darrent Bishop of Winston-Salem; step mother-in-law, Lucy Gist of Spartanburg, SC; three brothers-in-law, Freddie (Shirley) Gist of Raleigh, NC; James Marcella (Ollie) Gist of Spartanburg, SC; and Robert (Alnisa) Gist of Spartanburg, NC; two sisters-in-law, Lonnie Mae (Ronald) Mack of Spartanburg, SC; and Mary Lee Tucker of Washington, DC; an uncle, Lawrence (Dorothy) Bowens of Fletcher, NC; a special nephew, John Bennett (Jerrylyn) of Winston-Salem; devoted cousins, Michael (Lauren) Bennett of Fort Washington, MD; and Lena Watson of Greensboro, NC; best friend from childhood, Juanita S. Wilson of Winston-Salem; and dedicated neighbors and friends, Robert and Jacqulan McCollum. The family wishes to express their gratitude to Rev. Dr. Nathan E. Scovens and the entire Galilee Missionary Baptist Church family; and Pastor Waymon L. Monroe Jr. and Solid Rock Missionary Baptist Church for their love, prayers and support of Bettie and the entire Bennett family.

Funeral services will be held at 12:30pm Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church with Dr. Nathan Scovens, officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family visitation will be held from 11:30am until 12:30pm on Tuesday at the Church.