Norma Dean  Bennett of Columbia, Missouri died October 29, 2022 . She was born February 19, 1934 in southern Boone County.  After being flooded out of the Missouri River bottom, her parents Emery and Velma Sapp brought their children, Elvin and Norma, to the Harg area.

Upon graduation from Hickman High School she began her career as a secretary within the Agricultural Extension Service at the University.

Norma met her future husband, J. Marvin Bennett, at a neighbor’s barn dance where he was immediately smitten.  They loved to dance to the song “They tried to tell us we were too young”.  They  married June 21, 1952, and were partners for 70 years.

After the birth of children she gave up her secretarial position and began to log in hours of carpooling for school and other activities.  Using the skills taught by her parents and grandparents and in her favorite class at Hickman High School, she became a fine designer and  seamstress and was active in local and state competitions.  She made many wedding gowns and matching little dresses for flower girls.  She was active in Broadway Christian Church, Columbia, MO; the First Presbyterian Church in Clemson, South Carolina; and the First Christian Church in Warrensburg, MO.  In other volunteer activities, she served as Chair of Campfire Girls; organized the Welcome Wagon in Clemson, S.C. during her years there between 1975-1980; served as President of the Southern Boone County Sr. Center for two years,  and for ten years was the coordinator of its bi-monthly dances, which registered 12,000 attendees during that period. She was there for the opening, set-up and closing for nearly every dance.

Norma and Marvin were blessed with and are survived by four children, Jane Ann Bennett, Keith Bennett (Doreen), Joy Bennett (Tom Quinn) and Lorna Bennett (Tony Enyart).  She is survived by one brother, Billy Sapp, and a sister-in-law, Geri Sapp.  She has seven grandchildren–Tricia Lipari, Nicki Rinehart, Maggie Bingham, David Brown, Ryan Bennett, Ben DeLancey, and Lindsay Bennett– and six great-grandchildren–Charlotte and Gus Fuemmeller, Morgan and Johnny Brown, Mila Lipari, and Berkeley Bennett. She felt especially blessed to have two of the grandchildren live nearby, Nicki Brown Rinehart and David Brown.  She enjoyed her large family of cousins and other relatives and helped organize annual family reunions.  One of her favorite sayings was “many things change but all things begin with family and end with family”.

Preceding in death was an infant granddaughter, an infant  great-granddaughter, Nicole Rosalee Brown; a brother, Elvin Sapp; parents, Emery and Velma Sapp; paternal grandparents, Everett and Ona Rippeto Sapp; and maternal grandparents, Efton and Lala Wren Sapp.

Services will be held at Broadway Christian Church in Columbia on Friday, November 4.  Visitation at 10:00 a.m.; funeral service at 11:00 a.m.

Memorials may be made to Saint Louis Children’s Heart Center (stlouischildrens.org); Lymphatic Education & Research Network (lymphaticnetwork.org); or the charity of one’s choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialfuneralhomeandcemetery.com for the Bennett family.

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