Wilma Othella "Billie" Smith Bennett

Wilma Othella “Billie” Smith Bennett, 94, of Florence, passed away on Wednesday, August 26, 2020. Mrs. Bennett was born on May 11, 1926 in Greenville, SC a daughter of the late Rev. William Frank Smith and Lalla Othella Jones Smith. Billie grew up during the depression as the daughter of a minister whose calling was to start churches.They moved so often throughout the state, that she once said she never went to the same school two years in a row.She moved with her family to Florence in 1945 for her father to be the first pastor of the Palmetto Street Church of God.It was there that she met her husband with which she shared 46 years of marriage.She was a member of the Palmetto Street Church of God for 75 years. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Frank Wilson Bennett; brothers, Otis Laborde Smith, William Frank Smith, Jr., and Zeno Tharp Smith; sisters, Lois Amelia Smith and Ruby Lee Smith Ross; step-mother, Louise Dodgen Smith Durham; step-daughters, Lillian Bennett Whaley, Betty Bennett Langston, Joan Bennett Sterritt, and step-son, Thomas Bennett. Surviving are her sons, Wilson J. “Jerry” (Barbara) Bennett, Edward L. (Donna) Bennett, and James W. (Nataline) Bennett; step-daughter, Joyce (Buster) Hewitt; sisters-in-law, Mildred Hanvey Smith and Eva Mae Hanvey Smith Roach, and a number of grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. The family would like to thank the staff of Honorage Nursing Center for their care of Billie. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, August 29, 2020 at Mount Hope Cemetery directed by Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home.The family will receive friends at the cemetery following the service.Covid-19 protocol will be observed. Please send messages to the family at the obit section of www.stoudenmiredowling.com.