Bennie Dell McClendon Obituary (1910

Mrs. Bennie Dell McClendon died September 28, 2011 at the age of one-hundred-one. Mrs. McClendon was born June 13, 1910 in Greenville, SC. She was the eldest of four children born to Benjamin and Essie Dell James. After the death of her mother in 1919, she completed her education at Stanton High School in Florida. In 1926 she relocated to New York City. There she was employed by the Redmond Agency as a housekeeper and caterer. In 1929 she met and married Jacobus Jack McClendon, they moved to Larchmont, NY and raised three sons: Norman, Leslie and Lawrence. As the daughter of a professional tailor, Bennie Dell was a talented seamstress whose beauty and fashionable custom attire, soon earned her a job as a model at the Needle Nook. A fashionable dress shop in NYC believed to be one of the first of its kind to feature African American women as in-store models. After her modeling career, it was her skills as a housekeeper and caterer that sustained her livelihood. Mrs. McClendon moved to Mount Vernon, NY in 1955 where she lived for fifty-three years. She begrudgingly retired at the age of 95 and came to live with her granddaughter Vanessa in CT. On the occasion of her 100th birthday in 2010, she received greetings and salutations from President and Mrs. Obama, Governor David Patterson, the Mayors of New Rochelle and Mount Vernon NY, and the Westchester County Board of Legislators. Like all truly special people she wondered what all the fuss was about. She was a lifelong member of St. Catherines A.M.E. Zion Church and the NAACP. She joined the Norwalk Senior Center in 2005 and was an active participant. She leaves to mourn her loss, 2 sons, Norman McClendon of Providence Rhode Island and Lawrence McClendon of Wayland Massachusetts, 10 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great grandchildren. A host of dear relatives, co-workers and friends will forever cherish her memory. At her request private services were held. There will be a Memorial Service on October 29, 2011 at St. Catherines A.M.E. Zion Church in New Rochelle, NY at 11.30 A.M. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations, be made to St. Catherines A.M.E. Zion Church in her name.