Obed K. Bennett was born March 6, 1914, in the Goodland community near Hugo, Oklahoma, to John and Cora Bennett. He passed from this life January 11, 2007 in Waurika, Oklahoma. Obed graduated from Empire High School in 1933. His family moved to the Claypool community in 1933. On January 15, 1936, Obed married Ethel Fulton in Waurika, Oklahoma. They had two daughters, Phyllis Bennett Merritt and Ginger Bennett Wilson. Obed did custom combining and hay baling in addition to farming and ranching. Obed worked for the Department of Agriculture for forty years, where he was a land surveyor and a county supervisor. He was a bookkeeper for Waurika Livestock Market and Ringling Livestock Auction Sale, retiring after thirty-eight years. Obed volunteered as a bookkeeper for the 4-H and FFA young people for forty-three years. He received an Honorary 4-H Degree and an Honorary FFA State Farmer Degree for service to Jefferson County. Obed was an active rancher in the Claypool community at the time of his death. Obed attended the Claypool Church for twenty years, where he taught adult Sunday School classes. After the Claypool School system closed, he transferred his church letter to the First Baptist Church in Waurika. Obed was a deacon and very active in church. He taught adults and junior high boys in Sunday School for forty years. He served twenty-seven years on the Waurika and Claypool School Boards.

Obed was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-seven years, Ethel, November 4, 2002, his parents J.A. and Cora Bennett,all five of his brothers, Thurmond, Dale, A.W., Roy, and Emmett, a son-in-law Roy Wilson Jr.

Survivors include: his daughters - Phyllis and Eddie Merritt of Lawton, OK, and Ginger Wilson of Chickasha, OK; his grandchildren - Joe Don Bandy and his wife Valerie of Tyler, TX, Melea Wilson of Indianapolis, IN, Nathan Merritt and his wife Laci of Sterling, OK; his great grandson - Lathan Merritt; and his great granddaughter Lanie Merritt.

Funeral services for Mr. Bennett were at 10:00 AM, January 13, 2007, at the First Baptist Church in Waurika, Oklahoma, with Tommy Billings officiating Burial was in the Waurika Cemetery under the direction of Dudley Funeral Home of Waurika. Memorial contributions may be made to the Waurika First Baptist Church, Macular Degeneration or to American Medical Research.