Sarah Benton

Sarah Frances Benton, age 92, peacefully departed this life from her home in Winston Salem on December 11, 2019. She was born April 17, 1927, in Suffolk, Virginia, to Richard and Nancy Boone. In her youth, she developed character for being irrepressible as she was quick to come to the rescue of her family and friends whenever necessary. She was educated in the Virginia school system and went to A&T University in North Carolina. Her sense of exploration and adventure brought her to New York, where she met and married George H. Benton on April 6, 1948. They made their home in Brooklyn, where they raised 11 children. Sarah was a faithful member of the Church of God in Christ, which helped shape her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. She was a fantastic homemaker and loved her children to a fault. She mastered the art of making each of them feel very special as if they were an only child. The house was always filled with prayer, laughter, food, and lots of noise. Frequent surprise visits to her children’s college dorms to impart a word of wisdom, replenish food, laundry money and snacks were not uncommon. Sarah was not only a mother to her 11 children; she never met a stranger. She had the incredible ability to make anyone she met feel like part of the family, and she was everybody’s Mom.

Her strong faith and prayer life infused all that she did. Her appreciation for nature, summer rains, walks in the park on Sunday afternoons, and travel was infectious. Her passion for travel caused her to log up lots of frequent flyer miles and loads of fun stories to share when she returned to heaps of hugs and kisses. Sarah possessed an encouraging spirit, quick wit, sense of humor, and a love of music. Her zeal for life inspired her to become an entrepreneur in her senior years.

She maintained an irrepressible charm as she was always willing to try something new, do things her way, and come to the rescue whenever necessary. Throughout the years, her faith and trust in God empowered her to overcome numerous health concerns seemingly unscathed. One of her doctors referred to her as “one tough cookie.”

She and her husband George retired to NC in 1989 and joined First Church of God in Christ, Winston Salem. She continued to engage everyone she met with her captivating love and generous disposition. She was everybody’s Grandma. She will be deeply missed and forever cherished.

She was proceeding in death by her husband of 68 years George, her son Terry Benton, and her grandson Joshua P. Fennell, her siblings Alberta King, Wilson Boone, John Boone, Margaret Payton, Cosie Lee, Earnestine Wood. She is survived by her ten children Toni & Glenn Fennell, Timothy & Linda Benton, Teraine Butler, Tyrone & Connie Benton, Todd & Shawn Benton, Tammy H Benton., Tonja A. Benton, Tabitha D. Benton, Troy & Dana Benton, Tryphena S. Benton, her siblings, National Prayer Warrior, COGIC Mother Arlie Boone, James Boone, twenty-two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, a host of nieces and nephews, and loved ones.

A celebration of Sarah’s life will be held Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 12 PM at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.  Interment will take place Monday, December 23, 2019 at 1 PM at Salisbury National Cemetery.