Lola Vanette Benson

Lola Benson, known affectionately by her family as “Vanette,” was born September 5, 1962, in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Lola has lived many places. As a young person she and her family lived in Wichita Falls, Texas; Honolulu, Hawaii; Okinawa, Japan; Hampton, Virginia; Frankfurt, Germany; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

In her adult life, Lola has lived in Texas, Oklahoma, California and Alabama. Alabama is where she decided to settle, until her unexpected death due to Covid on August 24, 2021. A virtual memorial service will be held Saturday, September 11.

Lola graduated from Douglas High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1980. She attended nursing school in Wichita Falls, Texas. For many years she worked as a home health care provider. In recent years she was a school bus driver in the Enterprise City School System.

After a careful study of the Bible, Lola decided to dedicate herself to Jehovah God, and she was baptized February 8, 1982, as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Lola enjoyed the ministry, teaching others about God’s Kingdom. She decided to be a full-time minister, visiting persons at their homes, and talking to people wherever they could be found — even on the telephone. She received weekly training and extensive training in the three Pioneer Service Schools that she attended for full-time Jehovah’s Witness ministers. In 1992 she and her roommate moved from California to serve where there was a greater need for field ministers—in Enterprise, Alabama. Everyone with whom she came in contact would receive a fine witness.

Anyone who knew Lola knew they had a close friend for life. She never met a stranger. Her personality drew people. One of her coworkers said “The earth has lost a bright light,” and many would agree with that statement. A happy moment with Lola would be spent perhaps fishing, eating, maybe playing cards, listening to music, sharing funny video clips, and of course lots of laughter.

Lola never dwelled on sadness. She had hope—a bright hope—for the future coming paradise, and she  wanted everyone to know about it. That is why she made the ministry her life’s work.

Lola leaves to cherish her memory — her devoted father Obie Dean Boyce of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and her loving brother Mark Anthony Benson of Sacramento California.

She also leaves behind her Aunt Lola Faye (her namesake) and Uncle Jimmy Johnson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; her Uncle Robert Williams (“Uncle Bubbie”) of Tacoma Washington; her Aunt Martha Ajetunmobi, and her Uncle Douglas and Aunt Doris Boyce, all of Charlotte, North Carolina.

She also leaves behind many cousins that she dearly loved, as well as friends — too many to number — that to her were FAMILY.

Lola was preceded in death by her mother Lula Mae Boyce, and her grandparents Robert and Katie Williams and Obadiah and Hattie Pearl Boyce.

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