Jennifer "Jennie" Brown Bennett

Jennifer "Jennie" Brown Bennett, widow of Julian W. Bennett, Sr., a retired educator and long-time resident of Baltimore, died on the 8th of March at home. She was born Jennie Brown Murphy to the late Dora Murphy Best on December 31, 1932 in Snow Hill, NC. When her grandmother died, Jennifer moved to Hackensack, NJ at an early age with her maternal aunt, Mrs. Addie Turner who became her legal guardian. She went on to complete her education graduating from State St. Junior High and Hackensack High School. After completing high school, Jennie came to Baltimore and attended the then Morgan State College and earned a B.A. degree in English. She continued her studies at Loyola College and Morgan State University and became an employee of the Baltimore Public School System. Jennifer became a loyal and active member of the Pennsylvania Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church in 1977. She loved music and sang with the Sanctuary Choir, was a pianist for other choirs, directed and taught music to the Young Adult Choir and other choral groups. She was appointed to be the 1st chairperson of the Social Skills & Etiquette Ministry; the facilitator and Bible Study instructor for - and a member of the Senior Brigade; President of the Cultural Arts Enrichment Organization (The Emma Clement Guild); a member of the public relations committee; a member of the Women's Home and Overseas Missionary; and Vice-President of the Sanctuary Choir. After 30 years of teaching, Jennie retired from BCPS. Always busy, her favorite activities included reading, writing, performing poetry, dramatic performances and playing card games (pinochle or bid whist). Her published poems and novel, "With a Long-Handled Spoon" were enjoyed by multitudes. Jennifer was a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. - Alpha Zeta Chapter and served two terms as their Chaplain and was known throughout many circles as "Ms. Finer Womanhood". She was also a leader in the groups which she helped to organize - namely, the High Bidders Pinochle Club, The Astral Leaders, the Pacesetters and Jehovah's Posse (a Bible study group). A lover of people, Jennie helped to organize her family members into an administrative structure - gathered documents, traced ancestral roots and named it "The Murphy Momentum". This initiated a genealogical research and the reclaiming of indifferent or impassive family members. Choosing not to have children of her own, Jennifer was a "2nd" mother to several nieces. Left to cherish her memory are: her goddaughter, Lorraine Williams (Richard); adopted goddaughters, Edna Rouse (Reginald) and Hassie Banks (Gregory); special nieces, Deborah Anderson (Joseph), Wanda Kelley (Bobby) and Mary Faye Hall; four sisters Nettie Best, Ada Mitchell, Annie Pearson (Roosevelt) and the late Mattie Fields all of New Jersey; daughter-in-law Helen Bennett; three sister-in-laws, Lydia Murphy, Naomi Bennett and Ester Bennett; brother-in-law, William Bennett; five step-children and a myriad of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Jennifer "Jennie" Brown Bennett

December 31, 1932 - March 8, 2015