Gerald Houston Bennett

GERALD HOUSTON BENNETT, 72, born November 20, 1942 in Marked Tree, AR, passed away May 25, 2015 in Cordova, TN. His parents were Houston Bolton Bennett (deceased 1962) and Fredda Grinder Bennett currently living in Oakland and will soon celebrate her 95th birthday. Gerald was a Christian and was baptized at Franklin Road Baptist Church, which was close to where his family built their homes, lived and grew up on Franklin Road in Frayser. He attended Frayser High School, where he graduate in 1961. In November, 1965, he married his high school sweetheart, Melba Sue Tanner. This year they would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. After he graduated, he went to work as a carpenter along side his dad. He was a member of the Memphis Carpenters Local 345 for 50 years. He had many accomplishments throughout his career in Memphis, he later served as the Carpenter Apprentice Director before he retired. In 1966, he served in the US Army with overseas duty in Korea and was honorably discharged in 1968. He was an avid race car fan and in his younger years loved to go to the stock car races to support his long time friend Hoyette Hodnett. His first hobby was the love of old antique cars and finally found a 1930 Model A Ford roadster that he brought home one day and loved dearly. Whenever, he was through tinkering with his car, he loved to go to the lake to water ski and travel to the mountains with his friends. Survivors include his wife, Melba Tanner Bennett; a brother-in-law, Sammie Tanner and wife, Renee; special nephew, Joshua Tanner, and loving niece, Rachel Tanner Hudson (Dennis). He also has numerous aunts, uncles and cousins in the Grinder and Bennett family whom Gerald loved to keep up with. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service at 2 p.m., Thursday, May 28 at: Memphis Funeral Home And Memorial Gardens 3700 N. Germantown Rd.