GREENWOOD - Lura B. Benner died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017. She was born in Greenwood in 1926, to Nevin and Esther Lauver Bender. Lura grew up on a farm during the tough economic times of the Great Depression, and when she was in her teens she worked cleaning and doing factory work to help make ends meet for her family. She met her future husband, Millard Benner, in high school. She and Millard married June 17, 1947. While Millard served as a pastor at Tressler Mennonite Church for 40 years, Lura led Bible studies and made Millard's work possible with her strong support. She was also very much her own person, feisty and independent. Lura was the director of Head Start in Greenwood for several years, and drove school bus for the Woodbridge school district for many years. She was an excellent seamstress, and enjoyed reading, gardening, and canning and freezing her own vegetables. She was famous for her applesauce, often canning 400 quarts per year. She spent many hours of her life serving people without fanfare. Lura loved visiting with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death after 68 years of marriage by her soulmate, Millard, who died April 21, 2016. She was also preceded by her parents; a sister, Mildred Bender; an infant brother; a brother-in-law, Elmer Jantzi; a grandson; and a great-granddaughter. She is survived by three sisters, Miriam Jantzi, Hilda (Merlin) Swartz, Emma (Glenn) Myers; four brothers, Paul (Virginia) Bender, Titus (Ann) Bender, Nevin (Lourene) Bender, Donald (Judy) Bender; one son, Steve (Leanne) Benner, of Harrisonburg, Va.; seven daughters, Dawn (Doug) Sterling, Dorothy (Joe) Tennefoss, Kathy (Calvin) Sharp, Carol (Mickey) Benner-Chaffinch, all of Greenwood, Hilda (Newell) Washburn, of Lewes, Phyllis (John) Bennett, of Semmes, Ala., and Lorraine (Jim) Amstutz, of Akron, Pa.; 28 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Friends may call at Tressler Mennonite Church, 13371 Wolf Rd., Greenwood, from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, or from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7. The funeral will be at 1 p.m., Saturday at Tressler, with interment following. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriot Way, Milford, DE 19963. Arrangements by Fleischauer Funeral Home, Greenwood.