Charlotte Anne Bennett Mayberry of Springfield passed away Wednesday, March 21, 2018. She was born January 26, 1940 to Lyman Lawrence Bennett and Nancy Fanetta (Roberts) Bennett. Charlotte grew up in Springfield and lived very close to the corner of Oak Grove Lane and Sunshine Street. Her Grandparents Bessie (Calkins) and Edgar A Bennett lived in the house right next door. These two houses were very recently torn down. Her father Lyman Bennett worked for the US Medical Center in Springfield until he enlisted in the US Navy and the family moved to Bremerton Washington in 1943. They lived in the military housing at Port Orchard located near the Puget Sound and they remained in Washington until Lyman shipped out on the USS MIfflin hospital ship. The family returned to Springfield where Charlotte walked to Oak Grove Elementary school every day. She then attended Central High School for two years until 1956. The family were members of the Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church in Springfield.
After a difficult job-related injury her father retired from the Springfield Medical Center and purchased a farm in Ozark, MO in 1956. Charlotte attended Ozark High School during her Junior and Senior years and met Tom Mayberry on a blind date after a basketball game during her senior year at Ozark High School. She graduated from Ozark High School in 1958 and attended The University of Missouri in the fall of 1958 hoping to pursue a degree in the medical profession. She returned to Springfield and worked in the laboratory at St. Johns Hospital. She Married Tom Mayberry on September 8th, 1960. Their three children, Bennett Stuart was born April 1, 1961, Melissa Jaye was born December 19, 1963 and Mariann was born May 25, 1965.
Tom's mother Ruby (Handley) Mayberry taught first grade at Ozark Elementary School and she convinced Charlotte to pursue a degree in teaching. Charlotte attended SMSU and graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Elementary Education in 1970. Charlotte taught in the Branson Elementary school district as a fifth grade teacher from 1970 until 1976 while Tom worked as the Comptroller for Silver Dollar City in Branson. When Tom was hired by the Mariott Corporation to work at the Great America theme park in Gurnee, IL in 1976, the family moved to McHenry, IL. Charlotte attended Northern Illinois University and received a certificate in Special Education. Charlotte worked in the Illinois state teacher's system in the public schools of Marengo, IL, Highland Park, IL and Grass Lake, IL and ended her career teaching at Larkin High School in Elgin, IL. The state of Illinois offered an early retirement and Charlotte jumped on the opportunity in 1994. Tom retired from Six Flags Great America in 1998 and the couple traveled in their RV to many destinations in the US.
Charlotte and Tom returned to live in Ozark and Springfield in 2000 and continued to travel in their RV, often to south Texas. Tom and Charlotte were members of Schweitzer United Methodist Church in Springfield.
Charlotte is preceded in death by: her husband Thomas Handley Mayberry 2017; her son Bennett Stuart Mayberry 2008; her daughter Mariann Mayberry 2017; her mother Nancy F (Roberts) Bennett 1995; her father Lyman L Bennett 1996; her mother-in-law Ruby Jaye Mayberry 1963; her father-in-law Rollin W Mayberry 1969; nephews Billie Dale Young; Kevin Young.
She is survived by: her sister Nancy Carolyn (Bennett) Young of Ozark; her daughter Melissa Jaye (Mayberry) Hollander of Simsbury, CT; her son-in-law Aaron Andrew Hollander of Simsbury, CT; her granddaughter Madeline Elise Hollander of Simsbury, CT; her grandson David Thomas Hollander of Simsbury, CT; her son-in-law Scott Jaeck of New York, NY; her nieces Carolyn Anne Summers of Hollister, MO; and Nancy Elizabeth (Beth) Coffer of Fair Grove, MO; nephew Stephen Andrew Young of Ozark, MO
Services to be held at Adams Funeral Home in Ozark, MO on Sunday, March 25th at 4:00 with a reception following. Burial will be at Hazelwood Cemetery on Monday, March 26 at 10:00 am.
Donations may be made to The Alzheimer's Association, PO Box 96011, Washington DC 20090-6011.