Mary Brigid Bennie, 84, of Berryville, Virginia, passed away on September 2, 2014, at her home. She was loved by many and known for her magnetic smile and dimples.
Mary was born in 1930, in Hoboken, New Jersey, the daughter of the late James and Cecilia Lydon. It was in Central Park where she met her late husband William Bennie, Jr. They were married on September 3, 1955, in Union City, New Jersey.
She is survived by her seven children, Catherine (Darryl) Copeland of Grand Prairie, Texas, Mary (Randall) Musgrave of Oviedo, Florida, William (Kathy) Bennie of Frederick County, Virginia, Deborah Kline of Clarke County, Virginia, Matthew Bennie of Winchester, Virginia, Judith (Michael) DeHaven of Martinsburg, West Virginia and Edward Bennie of Alameda, California.
Also surviving are eleven grandchildren, Daniel Bennie, Michael (Sara) Miller, Elizabeth Kline, Sarah Kline, Julia Kline, Paul Musgrave, Noah Musgrave, Shannon Bennie, Lacey Unell, Kayln Bennie, Logan Bennie, and three great grandchildren, Trent Bennie, Jakob Bennie, and Lily Bennie; one brother, John Lydon of Sussex County, New Jersey and two sisters, Lucy Devona Egan of Tom’s River, New Jersey, and Kathleen (John) Byrnes of Bushkill, Pennsylvania. Also surviving are sister-in-law Audrey Lydon of Westwood, New Jersey and brother-in-law James Bennie of Clifton, New Jersey. One son, James Bennie, a brother, James Lydon, and two sisters, Cecilia Lynch and Zita Ruehl preceded her in death.
Mary graduated from Holy Rosary Academy in Union City, New Jersey in 1948. She worked as a key punch operator at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York City for eight years. Afterwards she and her husband moved to Washington, D.C. where she worked for Kay Jewelers before starting a large family. In 1976 they retired to Berryville, Virginia. She was a member of the Saint Bridget of Ireland Catholic Church and the Clarke County Senior Center.
The family is holding a private memorial service on Monday at Omps Funeral Home, Winchester, Virginia.
Interment will be in Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Mrs. Bennie’s name to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 West Cork Street #405, Winchester, Virginia 22601.
