Karen Denise Alvis Bennett, 60, of 700 NC Hwy 137, graduated from this life Monday, August 4, 2014 in her home. Karen was born in El Paso, TX on May 21, 1954, and was the daughter of Kenneth Ray Alvis, Sr. and Tommie Holt Alvis of Fort Worth, TX. Karen grew up in Fort Worth, TX and attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX and the University of Texas in Arlington, TX. She married Wade Bennett on August 2, 1980 while he was a student at Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth. They proceeded to build a family with three children to be born in the next few years: Briana (1982), Katrissa (1986) and Colton (1988). Karen's family was her life. In 1992 she and her family along with three dogs and one horse left Texas for the western mountains of Maine. She loved the mountains and the cold weather. She loved the outdoors and all animals whether wild or domestic. In 1995 Karen and family moved to New Bern, NC and eventually to Gates County in 2009. Karen was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and daughter and will be missed by all her family. She loved the Lord and had a very personal relationship with Him. The pages of her Bible were tattered and worn and full of personal notes. Surviving are her husband of 34 years, Wade Bennett; daughters Briana Edwards of Winterville and Katrissa Bennett of Eure; a son, Colton Bennett and wife Claire of Savannah, GA; a sister, Kelly Haines and husband Joseph of Thessalon, Ontario; a brother, Kenneth R. "Sam" Alvis, Jr. and wife Jill Johnson-Alvis of Sunnyvale, CA; and two grandchildren, Imogen Edwards and Reegan Russell. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Faith United Methodist Church, 4143 Martin Luther King Blvd., New Bern, NC. Burial will follow in Greenleaf Memorial Park. Friends may join the family Friday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Miller Funeral Home, 304 Main Street, Gatesville, NC. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.
