Beulah Bennett

Beulah V. Bennett, 90, of Orlando, passed away January 2, 2016. اللهم اجعل أمـَي ممن تقول لها النار ‘أعبري فإن نورك أطفا نــاري’، وتقول لها الجنه ‘أقبلي فقد اشتقت إليك قبل ان أراك’ “Oh Allah, let my mother be one of those whom upon approaching Hellfire are told by it ‘Walk past me, your light has overshadowed me”, and to whom Paradise says “come hither, I’ve been missing you even before seeing you.” Beaulah V Bennett, a living angel, with a joyful heart full of acceptance for all. Faithful to God, with strength and compassion to protect and nurture the five generations of her family. As the matriarch of our family, she embodied elegance and eloquence in every circumstance. Possessing an independent, self sufficient spirit, she never forgot a favor or kind deed, while giving freely and without any expectations of return. Beulah made the best out of any situation, and left an unforgettable legacy. We mourn her loss, yet celebrate her life, and vow to uphold the Godly principles she instilled in five generations of our family. In her long and eventful life, Beulah Bennett worked very hard. She tragically became an orphan at the age of 8 after the death of her mother, Helena Vanterpool. Yet, she turned adversity into promise. After being taken in by her Grandparents, Samuel and Arnesta Vanterpool, Beulah began earning her own keep. At the tender age of 8, she began a small business, marketing handmade dolls, blankets, and crocheted baby clothes. She worked many jobs from then on always providing a living while maintaining her academic and spiritual pursuits. Beulah Bennett set the bar high for all of her decedents by accomplishing a post secondary education, holding an Associates Degree in Social work at a time when women had few rights to education. Beulah maximized this degree working to aid suffering women and children through her work at the Department of Human and Social Services. She provided a modest but fulfilling life for her children sheltering them from the harshness of the world and teaching them a love of God with regular bible study and church attendance. Beulah also taught her family to enjoy food, fun, and family life. She loved wholesome Salsa music and trained her children and grandchildren in the arts of dance, painting, and story telling. She made the most beautiful water paints of ocean scenes and sailing ships. Beulah loved nature and also informed her children and grandchildren in the medicinal uses of plants and herbs, the importance of the birds and animals of nature and how to grow plants from seeds. Grandma Beulah Bennett was cherished by her four children and many grandchildren for the time she spent instilling in them a love of God and of all the prophets. She often sat them around her to recount Bible stories. She liked to do this over the stove while teaching them to spend family time together cooking Carribean dishes. Particularly, On Fridays and Sunday's, the children and Grandchildren remember cooking and then her leading everyone in prayer. Beulah loved to take the family on outings to the arcade, the movies, the park and restaurants. Her beautiful spirit lives on in our hearts, though we gravely miss kissing her face and hearing her voice. We all pray for God to place her in Paradise and grant her spirit peace. The love she taught us empowers us to continue close family ties in her honor. Beulah Bennett was recently preceded by her youngest grandchild, Nitasha Bennett whom we continue to miss, love, and keep in our prayers. She was closely followed by our cousin Lola Vaughn who went to join God just two days after Beulah. Beulah Bennett is survived by her four children Edith Bennett, Maria (Bennett) Pesante (and spouse Leonard Edwards), Eddis Bennett Jr, and Nora (Bennett) Sawmiller, her grandchildren Maisha ( Pesante) Peyton (and Spouse Mosi Peyton), Omar H. M. Diaz ( and spouse Glorivi, unborn child and three daughters), Tchalla Pesante ( and spouse Christina), Daniel Bennett, Kelly Bennett, Passion Bennett, and Walter Miller, Great grandchildren Ayinde Abdul Nur Kokayi, Mateenah Kokayi, Maimunah Kokayi, Asiya Kokayi, Ayubi Kokayi, Nejah Crespo, Ayaan Peyton, Khalil Crespo, Daniel Bennett Jr, Zoie Bennett, Nathaniel Bennett, and Madinah Peyton, and a multitude of Cousins, great and grand nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.'

Beulah Bennett

December 30, 1925 - January 2, 2016