Russell L. Bennett

RUSSELL L. BENNETT Funeral services for longtime Cortez resident, Russell L. Bennett will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 28, 2006 at the Cortez Church of Christ. Interment will follow at the Cortez Cemetery. Mr. Jeff Foster will be officiating. A visitation has been scheduled for Friday afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Ertel Memorial Chapel. Russell was born on January 23, 1911 in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, the son of Edward and Nellie Bennett. He went to be with his Lord at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez on Wednesday, January 25, 2006, two days after his 95th birthday. He married Helen Beaty on September 28, 1940 in San Angelo, Texas and they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary the past fall. To this union two daughters were born, Betty Helen in June 1942 and Nellie Elizabeth on September 11, 1944. The family moved to Cortez in 1954 from Texas. He was a farmer and carpenter by trade. Russell was a faithful member of the Cortez Church of Christ and served as an elder for many years. He loved the Lord and people and had a loving servant’s heart. His family and friends were very precious to him. Preceding Russell in death were his father, Edward Bennett; mother Nellie Bishop; stepfather, Albert Bishop; and his daughter, Betty in 1962. His sisters, Edith Templer, Mildred Bishop, Opal Campbell and Agnes Bishop; and brothers, Earl, Glen, Ray, Claude, Bruce and Everett Bishop also precede Russ in death. He is survived by his loving wife, Helen Bennett of the family home; daughter, Nellie Donovan and husband, Gene of Pleasant View, Colo.; granddaughters, Lisa Deffenbaugh and husband, Bob of Cassville, Mo., Laura Dalley and husband, Mike of Fruita, Colo., and Lana Laker and husband, Matthew of Phoenix, Ariz.; and great grandchildren, Austin and Mikala Deffenbaugh, and Jessica, Kayla, Lacy and Justin Dalley. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to Four Corners Youth Encampment located above Dolores or to Hogback, New Mexico Navajo Indian Mission; both in care of Cortez Church of Christ, PO Box 145, Cortez.