Catherine Bennett

Catherine Bennett, age 94, of Portland went home to walk with the Lord Monday. She had been under the care of IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie.

A preemie at birth, she was born in Jay County March 6, 1924, the daughter of Soloman Wesley and Cora May (Bruner) Heniscey. She was married June 4, 1950, to Ralph Bennett, and he died May 30, 2001.

She had worked for the Citizens Bank for 37 years and was recruited out of high school to become secretary to the commanding general at Wright Patterson Air Force base.

She was a member of New Life Ministries and Deborah’s Circle. Between the ages of 70 and 90 she pieced and knitted over 5,000 baby quilts and additional quilts for at-risk babies and children. This was her retirement ministry and they were delivered all over the world.

She was 2002 Citizen of the Year by Cincinnatus League, received Certificate of Appreciation from Pregnancy Care Center in 2013 for making 1,200 baby quilts for their organization, was 2013 recipient of Jack Cole Award for volunteerism and was recipient of Distinguished Hoosier Award from Gov. Mike Pence in 2014. She began sewing for her family at age 12 and continued throughout her life.

Surviving are two daughters, Alice Whitacre of Portland and Becci Green (husband: Gail) of Portland; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Carol Showalter; a grandson, Joseph Whitacre; and three sisters, Betty Heniscey, Laura Allman and Nora Tomlinson.

A celebration of life service will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Baird-Freeman Funeral Home with Kay Fairchild presiding. Burial will follow in the Antioch Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Memorials can be made to the Life Ministries Church or Pregnancy Care Center

Condolences may be expressed at bairdfreeman.com.