Elinor Bozeman Bennett
Birmingham
Elinor Susan Bozeman Bennett, 94, a former resident of Bessemer and Decatur, died Tuesday at South Haven Health & Rehabilitation in Vestavia Hills. A member of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Decatur, she also held former memberships at Central Baptist in Decatur and for many years was involved as teacher at First Baptist in Bessemer (later merged into The Baptist Church at McAdory). She graduated Phillips High School (1930), The University of Alabama with hon-ors (1934), and a Master's in English from UAB (1973). Her undergraduate college honors and work included serving as secretary in the Office of the President, Dr. George H. Denny, Mortar Board (women's leadership honorary), and Phi Beta Kappa honorary society. Retired from teaching at Pittman Middle School (Hueytown) in 1978, she previously taught senior English 1934-1939) in Heflin, Hanceville, Sheffield and Butler. She married the late William Benton Bennett of Butler in 1939, relocating permanently to Bessemer during World War II. Survivors include her children, Thomas N. Bennett (Nancy) of Sarasota, Fla., Jane Trimm and Elinor Sue Staff (Michael), both of Birmingham, and Emily Ray (Randal) of Decatur; her five grandchildren, Ryan Trimm, Lanna Trimm, Alison Ray Hernandez, David Ray and Rebecca Staff; two great-grandchildren, Eleanor Trimm and Leonardo Hernandez; sisters, Maybelle Carwile, Carlene Warnick and Sally Frey; and brother, Judson Bozeman. She and her late husband owned Bennett Civil Engineering and Land Surveying in Bessemer, where she was a draftsman. After her retirement and relocation to Decatur, she was active at Cedar Springs Senior Campus. In Bessemer, she was active in the American Association of University Women and other civic and literary organizations. Graveside services will be held Friday, May 23, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. at Highland Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be prior to service Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Brown Service West Chapel, Hueytown, (205-744-7666) with Ridout's Brown-Service Funeral Home in Decatur directing. Memorials may be made to Scholarship Trust Fund, Linly Heflin Unit, 13 Office Park Circle, Suite 8, Birmingham, AL 35223-2556, phone 205-871-8171, or to the Building or Milnar Organ Fund, The Baptist Church at McAdory, 4954 Eastern Valley Road, McCalla, AL 35111, phone 205-477-8265. Published in the Decatur Daily on 5/22/2008.