In 1953, the family moved to Oregon, living in Portland for a brief time before moving to Medford.
Luretta graduated from Medford Senior High School in 1968. A member of Rainbow Girls, she earned the highest honor the organization bestows.
She then attended Southern Oregon College, where she earned a teaching degree. She continued to study and learn throughout her life. Like her dad, she knew lots of interesting facts and trivia.
She completed her student teaching at an elementary school in Medford but her career took a turn into the business world and she became the store manager of Discount Fabrics in Medford. She was a district manager for JoAnn Fabrics for around two decades. Her districts included Oregon, Washington, Alaska and parts of California. She also traveled to many other states during her time with JoAnn Fabrics, and lived in Medford, Lynnwood, WA, and Eugene.
Luretta and Richard W. Berry met in homeroom in their sophomore year of high school. A chance encounter at an airport led to a renewal of their relationship. They were together for more than 25 years.
She returned to living in Medford and got a job at Harry & David, where she ended her career by putting her teaching skills to good use in their training department.
Luretta was always willing to share her knowledge and her younger siblings remember her teaching them such things as how to eat an artichoke and how to eat with chopsticks.
She enjoyed traveling and took her siblings and nieces and nephews on many adventures, including trips to Disneyland and the 1986 World’s Fair. One of her favorite places to visit was Disneyland, which she first visited shortly after the park opened. Her last trip was in January 2020 to celebrate her 70th birthday.
Luretta was an awesome sister and aunt, always generous with her time. Her siblings have been recalling moments from childhood, including Luretta walking the fence post in the back yard, all of them playing baseball together, and, of course, all the adventures she got into with her tricycle, including dragging it over barriers!
In 2008, Luretta had a heart attack and stroke and she ended up heading into retirement early. She made an incredible recovery and was particularly proud of passing her driving test again.
When she was diagnosed with cancer she saw it as just another challenge to overcome. In the end it was side effects of the chemotherapy that piled up one after the other that kept her from winning that battle. She died November 14, 2020.
In addition to her partner, Dick Berry, she leaves her siblings, Theodore I. Bennett of Medford, Catherine A. McClendon of Boise, ID, James H. Bennett of Grand Rapids, MI, John R. Bennett of Marblehead, MA, and Nancy E. Bennett of Medford. She also leaves 11 nieces and nephews, 11 great-nieces and –nephews, and one great-great nephew.
She was predeceased by one brother, William L. Bennett, who died in 1965.
A memorial will be planned after COVID restrictions are lifted.
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