Mona Gayle Bennett

Mona Gayle Bennett, 86, of Abilene, passed away on Friday, June 26, 2020. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, July 4, 2020, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Funeral services to follow there at 5:00 p.m., with James Greer officiating. Due to recent COVID-19 restrictions, attendance will be limited to no more than 100 people in the funeral home. Burial will follow at a later date at The Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene, as burials are being handled by cemetery and funeral home personnel only. Honorary pallbearers are The Formation Flyers. The family understands that many cannot attend for safety precautions, and they invite family and friends to view the recorded service on www.HamilFamilyFuneralHome.com, where it will be uploaded after the service. Mona was born in Sparenberg, TX on July 14, 1933 to J.M. and Mabel Trice. She graduated Lamesa High School at 16 and went on to study Home Economics at Texas Tech University. There she met the love of her life, Allen Bennett, Jr. They married on December 28, 1952. Mona worked at Thomas Jewelers in Lubbock while Allen completed his pilot training in the United States Air Force at Reece AFB. Together they remained lifelong loyal and passionate Texas Tech fans. Throughout 67 years of marriage, Mona spent her years as a loving, devoted wife and mother in great service to her country. As the amazingly strong and skillful wife of a USAF pilot, she was affectionately referred to as the ninja move master. She managed her home, three young daughters, and moving the household every three years, often by herself, as Allen was ordered ahead to his new duty station. After Allen’s retirement from Dyess AFB, Mona continued to serve, raising and caring for her family. She worked as a certified dental technician, and received numerous awards for thousands of volunteer hours at the Dyess hospital pharmacy. Mona was a dedicated and patriotic Colonel in the Big Country Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force where she served as President of the Colonels’ Ladies. She was an active member of the Formation Flyers family of friends. She kept Allen flying all of his life, and now she is flying high with him. Mona professed her Christian faith at a young age and was a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Throughout her life, she was celebrated for her servant’s heart and as a loving caregiver to family and friends alike. She was a marvelous cook and a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who nurtured those she loved with the very best hugs. As one of her Flyers family friends said, “She sure stood tall to be so short!” Mona was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister Carol McSpadden, sister Jenny Millican, and two grandchildren, Dustin Travis Lane and Chelsea Gayle Laverne Lane. Mona is survived by daughters Donna Gregory of Abilene, Sandy Lane of Abilene, and Sharon Bennett of Austin; one brother James Trice, and one sister Shirley (Herman) Burnett of Oregon; four grandchildren Danielle (Paul) Starr of Abilene, Jamie (Jason) Maupin of San Antonio, Wes (Natalie) Lane of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Travis (Kimber) Lane of Cedar Park, Texas, and 11 great grandchildren. Mona loved flowers. The family welcomes floral remembrances. Memories may be shared and condolences submitted online at www.HamilFamilyFuneralHome.com