Bethany, MO: Wilburn Lee Bennett, 93, of Bethany, MO passed away Sunday, November 1, 2026 at a Bethany, MO nursing home.
He was born December 21, 1932 the son of Edward Albert and Madeline Ruth (Williams) Bennett in Bethany, MO.
Wilburn met the most beautiful girl in the world and told his buddy he was going to marry her as his buddy laughed at him. On March 1, 1952, he married Mary Lou Carnahan. They soon were blessed with becoming a family but after the birth of Michael Lee in 1952, he died in his mother’s arms of SIDS. This was very hard on them to lose their son.
Not long after Michael passed away, Wilburn was drafted in the United States Army. He wasn’t too interested in this as the Korean War was going on at this time but he did his duty and joined the Army on March 18, 1953. After basic training and AIT at Fort Leonard Wood, he and Mary Lou moved to Augusta, Georgia where he was stationed at Camp Gordon.
Their family blessings soon continued with a son Ricky Lee in 1953 and after Wilburn’s discharge on March 18, 1955 another son was born, Timothy Blane.
In 1958, Wilburn began his ministry with Mary Lou’s musical help. Phillip Jay, another son, soon came in 1961. With Wilburn as the minister and Mary Lou and the boys with such musical talent, they pastored churches and held revivals across Missouri, Iowa, Kentucky, Illinois, Arkansas and other places across the Midwest. On April 16, 1975, Wilburn was ordained by the Assembly of God Council as a unanimous choice for his ministry. He told them “don’t preach with your foot in a bucket.” Wilburn officially semi-retired in 2005 from the ministry.
In addition to his son and wife, Wilburn was also preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Charles Edward Bennett, Fredrick Dean “Fred” Bennett and Bill Richard Bennett.
Survivors include his sons, Ricky Lee Bennett and wife, Shawna, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Timothy Blane Bennett and Phillip Jay Bennett both of Bethany, MO; grandchildren, Travis Lee (Aimee) Bennett, Casey Lane Bennett, Michael Keeton Bennett, Luke Daniel Bennett, John Jay Bennett, Ashely Anne Bennett and Whitney Lynn Bennett; great-grandchildren, Keeton, Karsyn, Alex, Aniston, Carter, Callahan, Pyper, Aidan Robert, Ellie, Fallon, Ora, Neija and Ashreya; great-great-granddaughter, Raya; brother, Herbert Bennett; sister, Geraldine Sweeten and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 6 at the Assembly of God Church, Bethany, MO under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Burial with Military Rites will follow in the Miriam Cemetery, Bethany, MO. The family will receive friends from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Memorials may be made to the Assembly of God Church in care of Robeson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolence may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.
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