SARAH HARKINS BENTON

Sarah Harkins Benton 1939-2015 Sarah Harkins Benton, 76, died on December 12, 2015. Sarah was born in Belzoni, Mississippi, September 5, 1939, and was the daughter of Dan and Christine Harkins. Sarah graduated from Merigold High School, Merigold, Mississippi in 1955. Sarah attended Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. In Cleveland she met and married Jack Lafon Benton. They moved to Texas and spent the first three years moving where Jack’s crop dusting took them. Eventually settling in Houston. Sarah worked for Braniff Airlines in Houston and loved to travel. After 15 years Sarah and Jack divorced and Sarah focused on starting her own business Century Magazine, and worked very hard to make it a success. Her incredible drive and ambition carried her through raising two daughters and educating them. She married Ron Witt and they enjoyed many years of traveling and hosting friends. She continued to travel and loved to entertain throughout her life. She had many friends with whom she played bridge for hours. Survivors include her daughter Marian Elizabeth Benton, and Frances Elaine Benton of Houston; her son-in-law Grytch Williams, grandsons Andrew Payson Williams and Grant Alexander Williams, of Houston; her niece Alexandra Benton and Richard Benton; her bonus children Betty Eastup-Smith, Cheryl Witt Hampton and Cindy Witt Fenno, of Houston, and their children, Morgan and Kristopher Smith, Lacy Clapp, Lindsey Hampton Griffith, Matthew Clapp, and Sean Fenno; her nieces and nephews in Mississippi, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee and Mexico. She was preceded in death by her first husband Jack Lafon Benton, her second husband Ronald R. Witt; her brothers, Carl Harkins, David Earl Harkins, Bill Harkins, and her sister Carolyn Harkins Fitzgibbon. The family is grateful to her many friends who continued to visit her during her illness especially Margie Dalton of Houston, Eileen Anderson of San Antonio, Rey Broussard of Houston and her wonderful neighbors in Barkers Landing. There is so much more to Sarah than these or any words can convey. She lived life to the fullest and touched many people lives. Friends are cordially invited to a memorial service with the family from two until five o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at the Bradshaw-Carter Home, 1734 West Alabama Street in Houston.

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