5/30/1945 – 2/1/2026
Lawrence
Mrs. Bennington passed peacefully on February 1 st , 2026, at 80 years old after a fierce battle with cancer. During her battle she adamantly credited Dr. Conklin, Dr. Farrell and Nicole Apprill APRN, of Lawrence Memorial hospital for being her champions and without a doubt extending her life.
She was born May 30 th , 1945, in Paisley, Scotland, the daughter of Scottish parents, Mother Isabella Fulton and Father Hugh Reid. At the age of twelve her parents immigrated to Zimbabwe known then as Rhodesia. They travelled on a twin propeller plane all through Europe and down the continent of Africa. Mary fell in love with the people of Africa and discovered her passion for serving and graduated from Rhodes University, in Makhanda known then as Grahamstown, South Africa with a degree in Social Work.
After graduation she travelled on a cruise ship from East London, SA to the United Kingdom where she completed a social work internship and met the love of her life, John Bennington. Mary shared the magic of Africa with John, they married on August 14 th , 1968, and she convinced him to immigrate to Africa. She worked as a Social Worker in Zimbabwe and then for the Red Cross in South Africa saving and restructuring lives.
She “shook hands” with American celebrities, British royalty and Diplomats and loved singing, dancing, sailing, playing sports and sharing a meal with friends and strangers from all walks of life. She embraced all people no matter what the proverbial box society placed them. She instilled strength and courage in her family to finally leave Africa and immigrate to America where she made a home in Capitola, California. She survived the 1989 Earthquake and worked for the Santa Cruz Red Cross, helping to relocate and put back together the lives of survivors.
After twenty years in California she moved, with her husband, to Chattanooga Tennessee to be with her daughter. While living in Chattanooga she supervised a domestic violence shelter once again serving her community. Mary’s final home was Lawrence, Kansas, which again was a move to keep her family together as her daughter and son-in-law had become part of the University of Kansas Athletic family. She helped raise her only two grandchildren Liam and Doran Elliott and instilled in them a passion for people, culture, music, art and sports.
Mary Bennington was born on a Sunday, passed on a Sunday and her family will take her remains back to Sunday’s River in South Africa where she will be reunited with her late husband John Bennington whose ashes were scattered in the Atlantic upon his passing. She is preceded in death by her husband John Angus Edwin Bennington, Brother Fulton Reid, Mother Isabella Fulton and Father Hugh Reid. Survivors include her only child Kirsteen “Kirsty” Feltz (Bennington), son-in-law Brian Feltz, two grandchildren Liam Elliott, Nashville, TN, Doran Elliott, Huntington Beach CA.
The family suggests donations LMH Foundation 316 Maine St, Lawrence, KS 66044 and Ascend Hospice 5020 Bob Billings Pkwy, Lawrence KS 66049. No services are planned at this time.
Note: We are offering Lawrence and Douglas County community members space to publish remembrances of loved ones who lived in this community, free of charge. These pieces are submitted by family and friends of the deceased and not written by our staff.
We are glad to be able to offer this service free to community members in mourning. We believe the last thing our neighbors need in those difficult moments is another financial matter to worry about. Please consider a paid subscription to the Times to help us continue providing this service and news access for all.
To submit an obituary to The Lawrence Times, please fill out the form at this link. We’re sorry, but we cannot accept obituary submissions via email or other means.
If you are interested in sponsoring obituaries on our site through advertising, please email us at ads (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com.
Read other obituaries here.
