Bennie Black

BLACK (Harris), Bennie

Bennie Harris Black, a native of Pamlico County, North Carolina, passed away on the morning of April 26, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. She was 86. Her life was a testament to her strength, compassion, and dedication to The Law.

Bennie leaves behind her loving children: Paul William Black, II (Kerrin), and Mary Elizabeth (Mary Beth) Black (Charles Hornyak); and their 11 babies. Her legacy continues through her granddaughters, Regan Leigh Black Barron (Davis), and Kiera Shane Black. She is also mourned by her much-loved sister-in-law, Diane Harris; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Bennie was preceded in death by her beloved family: her father, Benjamin Lloyd Harris; her mother, Connie Woodard Harris; her sisters, Mary Honeycutt, Barbara Chesser, Ann Sumrell; her brother, Thomas Harris; and her beloved nephew, Paul Sumrell.

Bennie's father passed away when she was two years old. At that time, her mother had four young children whom she was unable to support. Her half-sister, Mary, had already married and moved away. It was the Depression and in rural, coastal North Carolina it was extremely difficult for a widow to raise four young children.

Prior to his death, Bennie's father was a Master in the Lighthouse Services (Cape Lookout) and also a Mason. Because of this, the three girls, Barbara, Ann, and Bennie were sent to live at the Oxford Orphanage (now called The Masonic Home for Children), which provided the girls with housing, clothing and an education while Thomas, the youngest, stayed with his mother. Despite the hard times, the girls were able to visit on Holidays and vacations, so the family was together for important events.

After high school, Bennie entered the Watts School of Nursing in Durham, NC. Nursing was her first career which she enjoyed, but she took up another career when she married and had children.

Whenever she took her kids down to Moorehead City/Atlantic Beach, she always liked to tell them that her firstborn, Paul, was conceived at the Buccaneer Motel, which initially brought gasps but later lots of laughs. Her daughter, Mary Beth, was conceived in a cabbage patch somewhere, but no one's quite sure where or when.

In her later professional life, Bennie was a distinguished Workers' Compensation attorney, esteemed for her relentless advocacy for her clients and her unwavering commitment to those less fortunate. She embodied charity and fought valiantly for people injured on the job and short-shifted their due. Along the way, she earned the respect among her colleagues and those who knew her. She was always exceptionally generous to those who worked for her, regardless of the fact that some of them actually did nothing (or very little) to earn that money.

Bennie held a deep affinity for the coastal havens of Pamlico County, the wild beaches of Morehead City/Atlantic Beach in North Carolina, and the shores of Destin, Florida. In the 70s, she had great fun and happiness at the family's mountain house on the top of King Mountain near Highlands, North Carolina, where the kids enjoyed their horses and Bennie took them to the Highlands Theater (complete with a crying box) to watch movies that they probably were too young to watch.

Bennie had a passion for reading, often immersing herself in the legal thrillers of authors like John Grisham and the adventures of James Patterson. She also enjoyed stories of adventurous women throughout the world and history. She was known to be immersed in a book while her children were being tumbled about on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, they became quite strong swimmers.

The family received friends and loved ones for a visitation at HM Patterson & Sons Oglethorpe Hill, on May 1, 2024. In remembrance of Bennie's beautiful and giving spirit, in lieu of floral tributes, contributions may be made to a cause dear to her heart, The Masonic Home for Children, through their website at www.mysimplegive.com