Ruth (Herriman) Bennett

Ruth Herriman Bennett, passed away on Thursday, June 11, 2020 in Avon Park, FL.  She was born October 3, 1923 in Muskogee, Oklahoma and lived 96 years, 8 months and 8 days.  She lived a full and exciting life for a young child born during the Depression into a share-croppers family. Her family had plenty to eat due to their share-cropper family, sharing with others less fortunate.  During off season for food crops, "Granny" or "Great Granny" as was known to her family and friends, picked cotton and told many stories of how she hated that.  She played baseball and softball in High School up the 10th grade and encouraged all her grandchildren and great grandchildren to play ball which she loved.  Her great grandson, Kenny McGrath, enjoyed baseball in High School and College, for which she was very proud.  She married William Lee Bennett during WWII and had three (3) children, Freda, Ivan and Rita While raising her family she worked along with her husband, owning and operating The Bennett Motel in Avon Park, FL; the WLB Restaurant in Fort Gibson, OK; as a contractor for the US Postal Service hauling mail from major post office ubs to other post office hubs in Oklahoma; contracting with the Corps of Engineers and Oklahoma State Parks Authority maintaining major parks and recreational areas.  As a side business she and her husband raised and showed Appaloosa horses winning many "Grand Champion" awards.  Their business included breeding their prize winning stud.  Granny always had a pot of coffee brewing for visitors and a meal to put on the table for anyone stopping by.  Her greatest joy was spending time babysitting for grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was loved and will be missed greatly by family and friends.  She was preceded in death by her husband, William Lee Bennett, her parents, John and Rentha Herriman; her sisters, Iva Claypool and Goldie Applegarth and her brother Toby Herriman; and grandson, Kenneth Richard Long, Jr. (Little Kenny). She is survived by her children, Freda Lee Bennett Long, Avon Park, FL, Ivan D. Bennett, Wagner, OK and Rita Jane Bennett Lamkin, Catoosa, OK; six grandchildren, Ivan D. Bennett II, James Franklin Lamkin II and Tyler William Lamkin, all of Oklahoma; LaDawn Ruth Long Milton, Brandon, FL, Karii Jane Long McGrath, Avon Park; and eight great grandchildren.

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