Billy Bennett

Billy Bennett age 96 of Glenville, departed this life on June 2, 2017. He was born May 23, 1921, in Parkersburg, WV; son of the late Olive Bennett. He was a grandson of Samuel Bennett, who served as a Union soldier during the Civil War. Sam and his family moved here from Pennsylvania after the war. He attended the Jessie’s Run One- room School through sixth grade and graduated from Tanner High School in 1941. After graduation, he served in the United states Marines during World War II. He was a rifle instructor at Paris Island. He then graduated from Glenville state College and studied toward a Masters Degree at West Virginia University.
Following his tour of duty in the Marine Corps, Billy served
the Gilmer County School System for 38 years. He drove a Tanner
school bus for three years, then from 1947 until 1982, he served as Director of Transportation and Attendance, retiring in 1982. He served as President of the State Transportation Association and, Secretary of the State Attendance Directors Association for 14 years.

He was Chairman of the Building committee for the Kanawha
Drive Community Building. He was active in the One-room School Committee. He served as Jury Commissioner for Gilmer County from 1961 until 1964 and again from 1985 until 1989.

He was a charter member of the Glenville Lions Club, he also served as President, and he was active in the Blood Drives. He has been a member of the Kanawha Drive Church since 1978.

Billy married Reva Brown, Nov. 12, 1948. Reva taught school
for 36 years in Nicholas and Gilmer counties, 29 of these years were at Tanner Grade School. They lived on Kanawha Drive.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Reva, on Jan. 24, 2007,
and his brother, Buddie Bennett and his wife Doris.
In honor and memory of Reva, Billy gave money to the county to build a Head-start School Building at the Gilmer county Recreation Center. Head-start has been taking place there in the basement of an older house.

Surviving is his nephew, Dan Bennett and his wife, Jackie, of Alex City, Alabama; two nieces, Sherry Bennett and husband, Charles,. of Atlanta, GA, and Shelia Sheldon and husband, Pat, of Douglasville, GA; and their daughter, Jessie, a great niece, Karen Milton and husband, Alan, and their sons, Bennett and Daniel, of Birmingham, Alabama; and a great niece, Lea Bryson and husband, Christian, and their daughters, Courtney, Catherine, Elizabeth, and Emma, of Mobile, Alabama.

Funeral Services will be conducted at the Ellyson Mortuary Inc; 2 Vanhorn Drive, Glenville, WV; 26351 at 12:00 PM; Saturday June 10, 2017 with Rev. Ronzel Roberts and Rev. Donnie Stout officiating. Burial will follow in the Meadow Lane Cemetery in Glenville. Friends will be received from 11:00-12:00 Saturday afternoon at the Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers the family request memorial donations be made to the Gilmer Co. Head Start in Reva’s memory, 931 Mineral Road, Glenville, WV; 26351.

Ellyson Mortuary Inc; is honored to assist the family of Billy Bennett with arrangements.