Eartha Lee T. Bennett

Eartha Lee Thames Bennett, 59, entered eternal rest on Monday, Aug. 16, 2010, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Born March 21, 1951, in Clarendon County, she was a daughter of the late Vernal Thames and Fannie Mae Frazier Gibson. “Monk,” as she was affectionately called, was reared by the late Jerry and Mary Lue Frazier. She received her education in the public schools of Clarendon County. In her youth, she was a member of Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church and later joined New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Sumter. She was employed as a teacher’s aide by School District 17 for numerous of years.

Survivors are one son, Patrick (Tasha) Bennett of Sumter; two daughters, Tonya Sanders of Summerton and Charmain (Corey) Jones of Greenville; eight sisters, Frances Green of Jamaica, N.Y., Glendora Thames of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Jestine (Calvin) Mellerson of Opa-Locka, Fla., Dorothy Ragin, Charlene Gibson and Tyronia (Johnny) Bonaparte, all of Summerton, Mary Ann (Minister Ernest) Green and Catherine (the Rev. Charlie) Hampton of Pinewood; five brothers, Cleveland Frazier and Vernal Thames Jr., both of Miami, Fla., James Gibson Jr. of Sumter, and Willie Thames and Thomas (Marguerite) Thames, both of Pinewood; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents and grandparents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Terry Thames; and a sister, Cynthia Hilton.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, with eulogy by the Rev. Roosevelt McFadden, Minister Ernest Green, the Rev. Charlie Hampton, Minister Vanessa Jenkins and the Rev. Daniel Bennett, officiating.

Burial followed in Bradford Cemetery.

Community Funeral Home of Sumter was in charge of these arrangements.