Alma Cunningham Bennett

Mrs. Alma Cunningham Bennett, 94, entered into her heavenly home on Friday, November 24, 2017 at National Healthcare.

Her memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, November 30, 2017 in Belvedere First Baptist Church with Rev. John Meyer officiating. A private family inurnment will be held at a later date.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Hugh Leon Bennett, her parents and one brother who was killed in World War II at the age of 24. She is survived by a special loving niece, Mrs. Zell Seymour of Graniteville, SC and a number of other dear nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

She was an Alabama native where she was a graduate of The Holy Name of Jesus School of Nursing in Gadsden, AL. She was one of the first in the Nurse Cadet Corps to spend her last six months of nurse’s training in a military hospital. She was at Kennedy General Hospital in Memphis, TN following graduation, she proudly enlisted in the US Army Nurse Corps during World War II. She served at the 248th General Hospital in Manila, Philippines and the 172nd Station Hospital in Sendai, Japan.

Following her discharge from the service, she attended the University of Pittsburgh where she received a BS Degree in Nursing. She married Leon in the First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh following her graduation. She worked at the Aspinwall VA Hospital for the remainder of their five years in Pittsburgh. The couple then moved to North Augusta and Alma began working at the VA Hospital in Augusta where she would give more than 30 years of service. After her retirement, she became an active volunteer, always helping others. She was awarded the Time to Care Award as well as the AARP Citation for Outstanding Service to the Community.

Alma and Leon lived in North Augusta for 10 years before moving to Belvedere. During their time in North Augusta, they were members of Immanuel Baptist Church and transferred their membership to Belvedere First Baptist Church upon their move to Belvedere. She was a former Sunday School teacher for many years and enjoyed being a member of the Faith/Watley Sunday School Class. She was a member of American Legion Post 71 as well as an auxiliary member. She was a member and past president of the Pilot Club of North Augusta, past president of the North Augusta/Belvedere chapter of AARP, member of the Military Officers of America, Aiken Chapter, member of the Retired Army Nursing Corps Association, and member of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.

She loved to play bridge and travel. She had traveled extensively throughout the world.

Memorials may be made to Forward in Faith, Belvedere First Baptist Church, PO Box 8168, North Augusta, SC 29861

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