DeAnna S. Benn

DeAnna Sue (Powers) Benn was born on December 30th, 1937 in Freedom, Oklahoma and departed this life on June 8th, 2022 at the Kindred Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina. She was the daughter of James Gilbert and Joanna Pearl Powers. She attended the Freedom School through the 11th grade then moved with her parents to Stillwater, Oklahoma and graduated from the Stillwater High School in 1956. She continued her studies as her family life permitted at Oklahoma State University, Georgia State University and Katherine Gibbs College in Rockville, Maryland. She met Bob Benn in Stillwater and they married in her parent's backyard rose garden on August 24, 1957.

DeAnna and Bob continued their studies in Stillwater while starting a family. After Bob received his degree in Civil Engineering in 1959, he and DeAnna, along with their new son Marty moved to Vicksburg, Mississippi where the family started a 32-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This resulted in the family living in several areas: San Juan, Puerto Rico; Atlanta, Georgia; Bangkok, Thailand; and Washington, D.C. DeAnna and Bob moved to Woodward, Oklahoma in 1989 following Bob's retirement from the Corps of Engineers. In 2016, they moved to Creedmoor, North Carolina to be near their son Nathan and his family and not so distant from Marty and his family in South Orange, New Jersey.

Although DeAnna's priority has always been the family, she had many devoted old and new friends and she has been active in community projects throughout her life. While in Thailand, she taught piano and was an accompanist at the Baptist Interdenominational Church in Bangkok. As a volunteer, she organized a music recreational program for the adult Care Center at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, and Shady Grove Hospital at Gaithersburg, Maryland. In Vicksburg she was a Meals on Wheels volunteer, an accompanist at piano for the Crawford Street United Methodist Church, Little Theatre, and an annual melodrama sponsored by the Little Theatre Organization. Also, she served on the Community Concert Association Board of Directors and managed a private piano studio for 18 years. In Woodward, she was a Meals on Wheels volunteer, served as a pianist for the First Christian Church for over 20 years, and was active in both Gamma Sorosis and the Main Street Woodward Organization. She was a member of the Woodward Arts and Theatre Council's Board of Directors. She and Bob provided the Real Estate property for the Construction of "Western Plains Youth Shelter" in Woodward in October, 2005. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of The Freedom State Bank.

Early in her life, she developed a love of music; especially performing on the piano. She loved following Marty and his wife Tricia's career in the theatre and she probably has seen the touring play "Cats" more times (28) and in more locations than any proud mother. While in High School, she organized a quartet "Farmers Daughters" to perform at civic functions including those sponsored by the Oklahoma Farmers Home Administrations where her father was the State Director. She played basketball in grade and high school so this was her favorite sport but she loved to follow football and tennis as well. She was a devoted fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA basketball team and always subscribed to the NBA Pass. Being a people person, DeAnna could tell you the specifics on a large number of the outstanding college football players and their girlfriends (or wives), especially those in the Big 12 Conference. She was also an excellent bridge player and could never understand why her husband's bidding was always incorrect. DeAnna was an outstanding hostess and organizer; it did not matter whether the event was a modest family get together or something involving 50 or more guests, the attention to detail was the same. Her goal was to make everyone feel welcome and special.

Surviving family members include her loving husband of 64 years, Bob Benn, son Marty and his wife Patricia, and their children, Gracie and RJ, son Nathan and his wife Lisa and their children, Nate and Neil.

DeAnna was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Donna Rae (Powers) Smith; sister, Jamie Powers.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com for the Benn family.