Longtime Peebles Resident Venita Shanks Bennett Dies at 108

Venita Shanks Bennett, who spent much of her life in the Peebles area and maintained deep family and civic ties across Adams County, died Saturday, January 3, 2026. She was 108 years old. Born December 6, 1917, near Elm Grove, Ohio, Bennett was known locally as a devoted mother and housewife and for decades of steady participation in community organizations.

Bennett is survived by her son Jerry Bennett; three grandchildren, Lory Perfect, Lee Perfect and Robert Bennett; three great-grandchildren, Brooke Perfect, Ashton Perfect and Carson Bennett; one niece, Beth Shanks Surbrook; two nephews, Richard Fulton and Jack Fulton; cousins Charlene McCoppin, Mike Eakins, John Lawhorn and Yvonne Brewster; and many friends including Norma Fristoe. She was preceded in death by her parents Roy and Blanche (Eakins) Shanks; her husband Charles Bennett; daughter Joyce Perfect; son Charles Allan Bennett; brother E.T. "Bill" Shanks; sister Mary Katherine Fulton; and cousins Darryl Shanks, Elaine Montgomery and Alfred Martelotti.

Her long-standing membership in the Eastern Star and more than 40 years with the Peebles Library Magazine Club placed Bennett at the center of civic and social life in the village and surrounding rural communities. Those affiliations reflect the role older residents play in sustaining local volunteer groups, informal networks and cultural continuity across generations in Adams County.

Public graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Sinking Spring, Ohio, with Pastor Greg Seaman officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sinking Spring Community Church, P.O. Box 73, Sinking Spring, OH 45172. An online guest book is available at thompsonfuneralhomes.com, and the Thompson Funeral Home and Cremation Care Facebook page is accepting condolences, likes and shares.

Bennett’s passing closes a chapter on a life that bridged eras in Adams County history, from rural roots near Elm Grove to sustained civic engagement in Peebles and Sinking Spring. Her long life and steady community involvement underscore the importance of local institutions and volunteer networks that support social connection in small towns.