Thelma “Laverne” Wilson Bennett, 87, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

Services were held at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Columbia Heights Baptist Church, with Rev. Warren Maxwell officiating.

Interment followed in the Bennett Family Plot in the Burroughs Garden of Memories Cemetery, east of Columbia, under the direction of Riser Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were her grandsons, Kaleb Bennett, Zach Bennett and Trace Bennett; great grandsons, Drake Lofton and Abram Bennett; and friend and brother-in-Christ, Gaylon Head.

Honorary pallbearers were Steve May, Kenneth McMillan, Dean Hart, Denver McKeithen, Alvin Berry, Waymon Calhoun and Kenny Anderson.

She was born March 29, 1937 in Rayville, LA to the union of her parents, Emmett and Gladys Wilson.

Laverne was a kind, loving, graceful and compassionate wife, mother and grandmother, sister and friend. Her faith and her family were the most important parts of her life. She loved to share her cooking with others, especially her fudge and chicken and dumplings.

She graduated from Columbia High School and retired from the State of Louisiana after 27 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Willie Wilson; one sister, Joanne Welch; and her husband of 58 years, Robert Bennett.

Those left to cherish her memory include her sons and daughters-in-law, Kevin Bennett (Sandra) and Shannon Bennett (Vicki), all of West Monroe, LA; her brothers, Peck (Joy) Wilson, Donald (Jeannie) Wilson, Russell (Rhonda) Wilson, Lynn Wilson and Daniel Wilson; her sisters, Charlotte (Joe) Smith and Patsy Lee; her cherished grandchildren, Kaleb (Bridgette) Bennett, Ashton Smith, Summer Bennett, Zach (Lauren) Bennett, Morgan (Chris) Ferris and Trace (Kaylee) Bennett; 14 great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, including special nieces, Lisa Davidson, Angie Boggs and Misty Munholland and special nephew, Rusty Wilson, who lost their mother when they were all small children; and her special friend and neighbor, Ellen Moseley.