Mary Saville Bennett was born May 4, 1910 in Upper Greenville, Nova Scotia Canada and passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 26, 2019 in Milford Massachusetts.
Mary “Saville” (Mitchell) Bennett was the sixth child of twelve, born to Elias Timothy and Annie (Clements) Mitchell in Upper Granville, Nova Scotia, Canada on May 4, 1910. Saville was reared in a Christian centered household and accepted Christ at an early age. She was educated in the school system of Upper Granville. While visiting her sister Beatrice and brother in law Tom Smith of Boston, MA, she met her soulmate, John Augustus Bennett (“Buster”) and they were united in matrimony from December, 1929 until his death in 1986. From that union, 3 children were born, John Jr., Barbara and Francis.
Saville became a citizen of the United States in 1942 and after her children were in high school, Saville went to work as an elevator operator for Filene’s department store. After attending Roxbury Community College and completing her high school education, Saville went to work for the state of Massachusetts and worked as a clerk in the Welfare Department until her retirement. In 1961, Saville and Buster moved to Franklin along with son Francis, his wife Shirley and granddaughter Barbara and became members of Franklin Federated Church.
In her retirement years, Saville enjoyed visiting with family, playing scrabble, word puzzles, crocheting, walking, and traveling the world. The last 6 years, Saville lived at Milford Center and entertained family and friends and kept busy playing bingo and doing her word search puzzles. Saville attributed her longevity to walking daily, giving up smoking over 50 years ago and never getting sick.
Saville is survived by one son, Francis Bennett (Shirley) of Plano, TX, two granddaughters, Barbara A. Trotter (Robert Dubose) of Carrollton, TX, Natalie (Davidson) Bennett, of Tyabb, Victoria, Australia and three great-grandchildren, Chelsea (Jared) Williams of Seattle, WA, Samuel Trotter of Dallas, TX and Matthew Bruce Bennett of Tyabb, Victoria, Australia.
In addition, she leaves to mourn her sisters Hazel Johnson and Catherine Tucker, and a host of family members including nieces and nephews across the United States and Canada.
Saville was preceded in death by her parents, Elias T. and Mary Anna (Clements) Mitchell, son John Jr., daughter Barbara A (Bennett) Howe, grandson Bruce F. Bennett, 4 brothers Elroy Mitchell, Harold Mitchell, Vernon Mitchell and Eddie Mitchell and 5 sisters, Beatrice Smith, Leona Stratman, Elizabeth Jackson, Edith Cromwell, and Evelyn Jackson.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral service Friday Dec. 6th, in the Franklin Federated Church, 171 Main St. at 10AM.
Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Boston.
Calling hours are Thursday Dec. 5th, in the Charles F. Oteri and Son Franklin Funeral Home 33 Cottage St., from 4-7PM.