Charlie Edna Bennett Fennell was born April 27, 1926 north of Swink, Oklahoma. Departed this life on February 25, 2009 at the Choctaw Memorial Hospital in Hugo, Oklahoma at the age of 82 years 9 months and 25 days.
She was preceded in death by her dad, Charlie Bennett, five months before she was born. Her mother, Carrie Songer Bennett, September 16, 1971. Two sisters: Frankie Lee Crow and Florence Maddox. Her husband, Arthur Fennell and a very close and dear friend, Hobert Adams.
She is survived by a number of nieces and nephews. Hundreds of students that were her own when she was teaching them.
Charlie Edna graduated from Swink Elementary School in 1940. She went on to Ft. Towson High School and Graduated in 1944. After working in a store in Valliant, teaching in the winter, and going to school in the summer she received a Bachelor’s Degree from Southeastern State College in 1954. Charlie Edna devoted her life to teaching boys and girls and caring for her mother until she was called Home September 16, 1971.June 5, 1976, she married Arthur Fennell. They had five happy years together before a terrible accident took his life.Charlie Edna went on and obtained a Master’s Degree and continued to teach third grade until 1986 when she retired to have more time to take care of the ranch that meant so much to Arthur. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Ft. Towson. She taught a primary Sunday School class from the time she was a senior in high school. She dearly loved working with boys and girls. She was referred to, by all, as a “Dedicated Teacher”¯. She taught thirty-six year and one half years all of which were done in the third grade at Ft. Towson except seven years at Swink and one half year at Valliant. After retiring she did quite a bit of substitute teaching. Charlie Edna was an honor student in all commencement exercises of which she was a part. Today, we celebrate commencement exercises for the fifth and most important time. Instead of receiving a diploma or degree the Lord will say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of Heaven which the Lord thy God hath prepared for you".¯
A celebration of Charlie Edna’s life will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at the Ft. Towson First Baptist Church in Ft. Towson, OK with Rev. Melvin Holleman and Rev. Dean Young officiating with burial to follow at the Ft. Towson Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, February 27, 2009 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Funeral Home in Hugo, OK.
