Shirley Bennett

Shirley Jane Dummer Bennett, age 85, of Livingston/Miles City went to Heaven, peacefully, on November 7, 2025 at 1:30 AM, comforted by loved ones.

Shirley was born February 19, 1940, the oldest of two, in Watertown, South Dakota to Clarence and Anna (Herding) Dummer. She moved to Livingston, Montana in the 1950’s, with her family because her dad was transferred to the railroad shops. She babysat for Mayda and Lyle Burns their youngest child, Jack, when she was 16, her first job. While working this job, she met Jack’s older brother, Leslie Bennett, who was 18 years older than Jack, a rodeo cowboy. In the next two years, this blossomed into a rodeo romance, which led to their marriage in 1958.

She spent the next few years of her life busy in her community, volunteering for many organizations: Girls Scouts, American Lutheran, the Jaycees, Meals on Wheels, cooked in the Senior Citizen Center, helped with bingo, and worked tirelessly in both Big Timber and Livingston in their business Bennett Saddlery and Shoe Service, as well as head cook in Paradise Inn. As head cook, she had the privilege to work at different times alongside her daughters, Debbie and Diana and her son, Tim, and her son-in-law Richard Eggar. She also worked at Del Mar Motel with her daughters, Debbie and Cheryl, while continuing her job as head cook in Paradise Inn. There are many things Shirley enjoyed doing, such as fishing, camping, hiking, knitting, embroidery, painting, cross stitch, singing, cross words, word search, going up to the cabin at Tom Miner Basin and Yellowstone Bible Camp (where she was baptized in the creek) and studying the Bible. She absolutely loved her animals: her horse Banjo, dogs, especially Maggie, her Chihuahua jack Russell mix, cats, pet skunk and rabbits. Her sister, Bertha, would help her chase Banjo around for hours. A well-loved story she gave to her family is about mocking the bull. When she was younger, the Oldsmobile her family had got a flat tire. Her father, Clarence, told her and Bertha to play in the ditch while he fixed it. There was a Black Angus, very fierce and strong, on the other side of the fence. He stomped his foot, and Shirley stomped back. The bull, taking this as a threat and a challenge, charged at them. The fence kept them from the wrath of that bull. Shirley’s advice after that was, don’t stick your nose into other people’s business, never gossip and NEVER mock a bull.

Even with her busy schedule, her life was built around her family. She always gave but found it difficult to receive. She had cut 2 records and always wanted to pursue it because she loved to sing, but she put family first, though she would still perform at weddings and loved to dance with her husband to their favorite song “Save the Last Dance for Me”.

Shirley was preceded in death by Clarence and Anna (Herding) Dummer (parents), Lyle and Mayda Burns (mother and father in-laws), Leslie Bennett (husband) and Timothy Bennett (son).

Shirley is survived by daughter Debbie (Richard) Eggar of Miles City, their children, Bennett (Chelsea) Eggar, Jeremiah (Sarah) Eggar, Deberlena (Kirk) Hinebauch, Teresa (Cooper) Spotts, and Christian Eggar; son Timothy Bennett’s children, Allen (Casey) Bennett, Danielle (Jono) DeRudder, Josiah (Agnieszka, “Ania”) Bennett; daughter, Diana “DeeDee” (Kenneth) White of Three Forks, Cheryl Bennett of Plentywood and her children, Holly, Justin, Brianna and Chance; her sister Bertha (David) Jones of Livingston; brother-in-law Jack (Rainalda) Burns of Beulah, ND and 17 great-grandchildren as well as many nephews and nieces.

A graveside memorial will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 2 PM at Mountain View Cemetery in Livingston. Following will be a reception at the Church of Christ Fellowship Hall. Should friends desire, memorials may be made to Meals on Wheels, 206 South Main St.-Livingston or Stafford Animal Shelter in Livingston.  

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