Twila was born in Norcatur, Kansas on February 9, 1921, to Laurel and Zola Faye Van Bibber. She was the oldest of three children. She spent her childhood years, during the Depression, on a farm until she moved with her family to Marysville, Kansas where she attended high school. There she played varsity tennis and basketball, sang in the choir, and took pride in her academics. She graduated Valedictorian of her class in 1939 and later that year, on October 22, married her high school sweetheart Woodson “Woody” Bennett.
Woody and Twila moved to Kansas City to raise their three daughters Ruth Ann, Susan, and Faye, as well as act as a surrogate ‘Mamá’ for several Colombian college students. Twila unequivocally loved her family, friends, and church with her generous spirit by always giving and helping others. She worked for many years as the church secretary for Independence Avenue and Bales Baptist Churches. She eventually retired, at age 73, as a bookkeeper from Carpenters Local 61. During her life, she was devoted to her faith and church by serving as WMU Director, a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School Teacher, and lead the “Keenagers” senior bible study group at Immanuel Baptist Church. She adored her family and all her grandchildren.
She hosted family dinners every Sunday to anyone that wanted a home cooked meal, with almost all the food coming from her garden. She doted on her grandchildren, was at every school or extracurricular event, and never shied away from having sleepovers with her house full of energetic children! After retirement, she continued to enjoy her passions for crossword puzzles, baking, singing, cake decorating, sewing, gardening, and volunteering. She started every morning at the McDonald’s in Raytown, where she drank her morning coffee with the many friends she made over the years while taking her grandson to school. She also made wedding cakes as gifts for young women at her church, volunteered for YouthFriends and tutored countless children, translated at Immanuel Baptist food pantry, baked endless delicious cookies, and canned anything she could from her garden. Her grandchildren are forever expert gooseberry, pear and apple pickers and peelers! Aside from Twila’s big heart and generous spirit, she was quick-witted and could come up with a one-liner that would have anyone laughing days later. She was a vivacious, independent, strong-willed woman that attributed those qualities and her early farm upbringing as a secret to her longevity. She was a true blessing and we were all lucky to call her Mom, Grandma “Nanny,” Mamá, and friend.
She was greeted in heaven by her parents, her brother Burl and daughter Ruth Ann. She is survived by her two daughters Susan (Andy) Pettyjohn, Faye (Ron) Vandendaele, her sister Mary Lou Rivera, her son-in-law Wayne Kittelson, her grandchildren Lora (Scott) Mesker, Jon (Pam) Pieters, David and John Mark Pettyjohn, Matthew (Bridget) Cavlovich, Nicole, Amanda, and Luke Cavlovich, Levi Miller, her nine great-grandchildren Joshua, Nicholas, Lauren, Jeremiah, Ciera, Caitlin, Lindsey, Isabella, Greyson, and six great-great grandchildren.
Visitation at 1pm and Memorial Service at 2pm will be held at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home on Friday, December 23, burial will follow in Mount Moriah Cemetery South.
