Obituary of Mary R. Benner

Name: Mary R. Benner Date of Death: Saturday, March 11, 2006 Residence: Rome NY Age: 96 Obituary:Mary R. Benner, 96, of Rome died Saturday March 11, 2006 in Bethany Gardens after a long illness. She was born August 9, 1909, in Carthage the daughter of John E. and Mary Ellen Mullaney Reilley. She attended Saint Aloysius Academy. On October 28, 1933, Mary married L. George Benner. He died December 28, 1951. Mary was a volunteer for the Foster Grandparent Program at the Rome State School for over twenty years. She also worked at the Maple Dale Dairy for several years. Mrs. Benner was a member of St. Mary's Church and its Altar and Rosary Society. She was a founding member of the Delta Omega sorority. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Michael Collins, Gansevoort, NY; two sons and daughters-in-law, George (Joe) and Jean Benner, Rome, and John (Jack) and Alice Benner, Clark Mills; seven grandchildren, Kathy and Ben Vallefuoco, Karen and Bill Kennedy, Kim and Craig Beckley, Kevin and Teresa Benner, John Benner, Jr., Amy and Gerard Race, and Kristin Collins and her fiancé Matt Orlofsky; twelve great grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Doris Reilley, Rome; a "foster" granddaughter, Toni Stagno; and many special friends. Mary was predeceased by four brothers, John Reilly, Charles Reilly, Raymond Reilley, and Kenneth Reilly; a sister, Anne Valincourt; a brother-in-law, Francis Benner; and sister-in-law, Margaret Lengeman. Mary's family would like to express their gratitude to the entire staff at Bethany Gardens for the care, compassion and affection shown to her during her time there. Contributions in Mary's memory may be made to the Bethany Gardens Activities Fund. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 9:45am at the Nunn and Harper Funeral Home, Inc., 418 N. George St., Rome, and St. Mary's Church at 10:30am. Interment will take place in St. Mary's Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday from 4-7pm. Services: Calling hours Tuesday 4-7pm Funeral service Wednesday 9:45am at the funeral home and 10:30am at St. Mary's Church