Born July 27, 1915 in Scioto County, a daughter of the late Reuben Arthur Shonkwiler and Eunice Lillian (Elliott) Shonkwiler, she was a lifetime resident of Scioto County. She was a graduate of Minford High School in the class of 1933, and served on Minford Alumni Committee for several years. She was a former employee of Millhuff's in Sciotoville, a cook at Swauger Valley Schools, and attended Calvary Baptist Church in Portsmouth.

She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Dorothy "Dottie" and Vernon Williams of Sciotoville and Diane and Dennis Bennett of Minford; 5 grandchildren, Beverly (Shawn) Pearl, Andy (Lisa) Bennett, Scott (Joy) Bennett, Wendy (Darren) Rawlins, and Lindsay (Marc) May; seven great grandchildren, Emily Nicole Runyon, Sarah Elizabeth Hamilton, Allison Wurts, Samuel Bennett, Anna Bennett, Luke Bennett and Nicholas Pearl; two great great grandchildren, Jacob Runyon and Sophia Hicks; two step great great grandchildren, Eli Runyon and Alyssa Runyon, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Bender on February 29, 1992 whom she married in 1936; a granddaughter, Valerie Hamilton; a great granddaughter, Elli Bennett; two brothers, Lindsey Walter "Pete" Shonkwiler and Eugene Shonkwiler, and two sisters, Elizabeth Carmichael and Pauline Shonkwiler in childhood.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 16, 2014 at Erwin-Dodson-Allen Funeral Home in Minford with Scott Bennett officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Franklin Furnace. Friends may call at the funeral home from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Sunday and one hour prior to the service on Monday. Online condolences may be sent to www.edafh.com.