Celestine Tutt Bennett

Celestine Claressa Tutt was born in Winston-Salem North Carolina on November 9, 1932. As a child she loved to play the piano. She attended Maiden Rosenwald School in Maiden, NC where her father Reverend Arthur Tutt was principal and her mother Mamie Tutt was a teacher. Next she attended Central High School in Newton, NC, where she excelled as a straight A student and graduated with honors.

Inspired by her parents, who taught her to be the best she could be, Celestine always committed her full effort to all her endeavors. Growing up, education was always considered the foundation for success within her home, and she started her career as a teacher, like her parents.

After high school, she attended Winston-Salem Teachers College where she pledged Zeta Phi Beta sorority and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952. She taught elementary school for a brief time but then with her bold and adventurous spirit she moved to New York City to follow her true passion which was theater where she had a few stellar performances Off Broadway. She traveled to Europe and spent time performing in Germany as well. However, life as an actress was not easy and fame eluded her, so she knew she was destined for a different path.

Celestine was an avid reader, so she connected her love of learning and her love of books by deciding to continue her academic pursuits at Columbia University where she earned a Master's Degree in Library Science in 1971. She began working as a librarian in the Center for Urban Research & Policy at Columbia and worked her way up from assistant librarian to Chairman, where she was in charge of the entire Whitney M. Young Jr Memorial Library of Social Work at Columbia. She considered this tenure to be the most rewarding part of her career.

Through hard work and tenacity, she eventually earned a Doctorate in Library Science in 1983. Dr. Bennett was recognized with an Outstanding Congregational Librarian Award in 2015 and was a lifetime member of the American Library Association.

After finishing her Doctorate, she moved to Oakland to marry Henry Bennett who she met at a conference while she was still living in New York. Together Celestine and Henry had a wonderful life. They were devoted to family and loved to travel. They crossed the country several times on camping trips in their Winnebago, and cruised around the world to five continents. She loved the outdoors and some of her favorite places to go back to were the north rim of the Grand Canyon where she enjoyed the quiet solitude and also the majestic Yosemite Park. She even joined the National Parks Association. She was also an amateur photographer who loved to capture the beauty of nature.

Celestine Tutt Bennett got involved in her Oakland community through the Bay Area Urban League, the International Council of Social Welfare, and the California Library Association. In addition, Dr. Bennett was a member of Oakland's Commission on Aging from 1986 to 1989.

Celestine also loved the Lord and was strong in her faith. She and Henry were active members of Lakeshore Baptist Church in Oakland where she enjoyed serving as the church librarian. Whenever she was back in her hometown of Charlotte she was a faithful member at Friendship Baptist Church.

In 2022, Celestine received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Who's Who of America for her dedication, achievements, and leadership in library science and administration - an accomplishment which she was extremely proud of.

During her adult life she always loved coming back home to Charlotte where her parents had retired and built their dream home. When her parents passed, Celestine and her sisters cared for the family home and she visited from Oakland several months each year.

Her beloved husband Henry passed away in 2006 after a very long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Celestine was a beautiful wife, sister, aunt, stepmother and grandmother and will be forever missed. She is survived by her sisters Carolyn Shakur and Constance Tutt, her granddaughter Sakara Bennett Sampson, great-grandson Kevin Sampson III, daughter-in-law Mary Bennett, her nieces Sharon Shakur, Ayele Shakur, Tara Shakur, Etta Holmes, Jerri Barber, Jo Lynn Newkirk, her nephew Ward David Newkirk, her cherished travel buddy Sadie Williams, and a host of grand nieces, grand nephews, and friends.

Funeral Service Information:

A Celebration of Life Service will be held in Charlotte, NC on Saturday August 3, 2024 at Grier Funeral Home, 115 John McCarroll Drive, Charlotte, NC 28216.
- Visitation: 9:00 am; Celebration: 9:30 am.
- Livestream via Zoom for out-of-town participants: https://zoom.us/j/6175102204
- Please wear bright colors (not black) in celebration of Celestine's life

In additional, a Memorial Service will be held in Oakland, CA on August 27 from 2-4 pm at Pacifica Senior Living Chapel, 2361 East 29th Street, Oakland, CA 94606.

Donations:

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be forwarded to The Coleman W. Kerry Scholarship Fund to support undergraduate students pursuing a college degree.

The Coleman W. Kerry Scholarship Fund
c/o Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
3400 Beatties Ford Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28216

Or to donate online go to
https://www.friendshipcharlotte.org/give
Select "CW Kerry" and in the Memo Line add
"In Loving Memory of Celestine Tutt Bennett"