Dorothy Bennett Jennings

Dorothy Ray Lancaster Bennett Jennings went to be with the Lord on February 10, 2015. Services will be at the First Baptist Church, Longview, in the Ford’s Chapel at 11:00AM, Friday, February 13, 2015, with Dr. Cary Hilliard and Dr. Ken Hall officiating. Interment will be at 2:00PM at the Strong Cemetery, in Church Hill, Rusk County, Texas. Born in Jonesville, Texas, to Huey Curt Lancaster and Bobbi Marshall Lancaster on December 31, 1927, Dorothy was the sixth of nine children. During her youth, the Lancaster family moved several times in East Texas and Northwest Louisiana, but eventually settled in Henderson, Texas. She was working a part-time job at the drug store soda counter in Henderson when she met Verlin Page Bennett while he was home from the Army Air Corps. They married in 1944, and continued their early married life after her graduation from Henderson High School in 1945, with a move to Bryan, Texas. Dorothy attended McKenzie-Baldwin Business School and worked for the Texas A&M College, Dean of Agriculture; while Page returned to Texas A&M to complete his undergraduate degree in 1948 and master’s degree in 1950. She had many found memories of their days in College Station. She and Page moved to Longview in 1951 where he was employed by the F.R, Jackson Ranch and she was one of several initial employees hired by Texas Eastman Company, after working for a period of time at the Longview Chamber of Commerce. Upon moving to Longview they soon began their family with the birth of their first son, Marcus, in 1954, as well as, her long and faithful devotion to First Baptist Church, Longview. The family moved to Naples, Texas, in 1955, and returned to settle permanently in Longview in 1958. Her family grew with the birth on their second son, Marshal, in 1959. In addition to being a wonderful mother and unceasingly caring for her family, she was also an active working mom and was continuously employed over many years in Longview with: Trice Production Company, LTV-Vought Aeronautics, and the E. C. Johnston Company. During those years she made many life-long friends, was a Beta Sigma Phi Sorority member, and was active in the East Texas Knife and Fork Club. Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband, Verlin Page Bennett; her brother, Curtis J. Lancaster; and her sisters: Ima Lee Lancaster Adams; Thelma Louise Lancaster; M. Marie Lancaster Elsberry; Angie Lancaster Harkins; and Mary Lou Lancaster Thompson. In 1990, Dorothy began her life with Rex Jennings; who was employed with the Longview Chamber of Commerce during the 1950’s and later retired as President of the Denver Colorado Chamber of Commerce. They lived in Tyler, Texas, until 2004, and then lived in Dallas, Texas, until 2007. During those years they enjoyed traveling, retirement life, friends, grandchildren and family, mixed with his regular Rotary Club activities and occasional speech invitations. After Rex’s death in 2007, Dorothy returned to live in Longview. She is survived by: her sons, Marcus Page Bennett, and Marshal Kevin Bennett and daughter-in-law, Belinda Reynolds Bennett, and four grandchildren: Christian Francis Bennett, Dalton Andrew Bennett, Madison Grace Bennett, and Arielle Adora Bennett; two sisters, Bobbi Jean Lancaster Duncan Crawford, and Martha Sue Lancaster Harper; two sisters-in-law, Beverly Curren Bennett and Yvonne Bennett Kennedy; and many very special nieces and nephews, and numerous great nieces and great nephews. Also surviving are: N. Rex and Sue Jennings, and grandson, Nick Jennings and granddaughter, Catherine Jennings Pate and her husband, Matthew Pate, and their three children, Presley Sue, George Matthew, and Samuel Jennings Pate; Joan Jennings Murray and her husband, Ken Murray; and Jeffery and Dana Jennings, and grandsons Zane and Mark Jennings.

Dorothy Bennett Jennings

December 31, 1927 - February 10, 2015