Charlotte Ruth Bennett passed away at UF Spanish Plaines Hospital in The Villages, Florida on July 12th, 2026, surrounded by her family.
Charlotte was born to Clarence and Ellen (Danker) Smith in Kankakee, Illinois on May 20th, 1944. She is survived by her son, Barry and Lisa (Bushong) Vonlanken, stepson Chad and Julie (Hardesty) Bennett. Grandchildren: Jason and Emily (Plantenga) Vonlanken, Aaron Vonlanken, Ryan and Ericka (Mitchell) Vonlanken, and Lauren Schaefer; and great grandchildren: Clara Vonlanken, Benjamin Vonlanken, Eleanor Vonlanken, Kenzie Schaefer, and Ashton Bennett. Charlotte was preceded in death by her grandson Jackson Bennett.
She is also survived by her siblings; Roger and Pat (Steed) Smith, Joyce and Dale Meyer, David and Jane (Dille) Smith, Martha and Rick Wessel, Susan Hyatt, and Paul Smith. Her parents preceded her in death.
Charlotte earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Olivet Nazarene College, her master’s degree from the University of Illinois, and doctorate from the University of Iowa. She spent her career teaching in elementary and middle schools, followed by 28 years as the principal of St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Newburgh, Indiana. She then supervised student teachers from the University of Evansville for a few years after retiring from St. John.
Charlotte moved to The Villages, Florida in 1999 where she stayed busy playing golf, planting flowers, making muffins for her neighbors, as well as attending stamp and card making classes, and many other activities. She was also a world traveler, completing multiple cruises and trips with friends and family.
A celebration of life gathering will be held at her home for family, close friends, and neighbors in The Villages. Her funeral will be August 8, Titzer Funeral Home in Newburgh, Indiana followed by internment next to her husband Dale at St. John Masoleum.