Maybell Bennett Funeral Talk

Talk given by Sister Berth Burch, Minidoka Stake Relief Society President

    I first remember Maybell when she was president of the Rupert First Ward Relief Society, but I only knew her casually then.  When she was called to the Relief Society Stake board in 1950, I wondered if I would ever get to know her as well as I had the Secretary before.  She was so quiet and retiring, but it was only a short time until I felt I had known her all my life.

     In the ten years we have served together, there has been a close bond between us.  We had worked together.  We have prepared banquets, discussed seriously the problems of the stake, and planned programs and other activities.  We have laughed together.  Maybell and I have shared some very amusing experiences.  We have cried together.  We both shed tears when she told me it would be necessary to be released from the stake board.

     We have shared the same bed on several occasions while we have been to Salt Lake to Relief Society conference and we have lay there in the darkness and talked far into the night.

     During all these associations we have grown very close to each other, and I feel I really know Maybell, and you can’t know Maybell without loving her.

     In all these ten years there has never been, to my knowledge, a moment of friction nor misunderstanding.  We have worked in harmony and these experiences I will cherish all my life.

     I have never heard Maybell criticize anyone.  It was not in her nature.

     When we prepared banquets I always tried to be the first there, but oftener than not she was here ahead of me and would have the tables and cupboards washed off, the stove cleaned, ready for us to go to work.  She always went that second mile.  If I went to thank her, she brushed it off lightly.  She wanted no praise nor any fuss made over her.

     I have always said in choosing co-workers, that if I had to make a choice I would take dependability rather than ability, but in Maybell, I had both.

     Her records were always in perfect order.  She could give us at any time any information we needed.  Her annual reports were always correct and in on time. I remember once she called me on the telephone and she was just bubbling over.  She had her report back from Salt Lake, and it was marked “perfect” and the general board had written a little note of commendation.  It said in the whole church there were less than thirty percent reports and hers was one of them. This meant a lot to Maybell. To me Maybell was a living example of dependability.  Seven years ago she became quite ill.  As usual she didn’t say a word about it to us.  When she went to Twin Falls Clinic she was told that her condition was very serious and it was imparative that she have an operation immediately.  Speed wa quite essential.  They wanted her to enter the hospital right then and undergo surgery the next morning, but she refused and said she couldn’t possible come until early next week.  She came home and spent the intervening days making out the Relief Society annual report and got it into the mail, and then only then, did she go back for surgery.  She jeoparized her life for the position she held.

     Bert, I want you to know that I couldn’t possibly love Maybell more if she were my own sister.  I’ll miss her as much as I would my sister.

     I know from the testimony of the Gospel I have and through experience that the Lord will make us strong enough to carry the burdens we have to bear.

     I pray humbly that His comforting influence will be with you to sustain you at this time, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.