Cena Geneva Bible Benjamin

Cena Geneva Bible Benjamin, age 91, of Ottawa, Kansas, died Thursday, March 18, 2010. She was born on Friday, February 14, 1919, in Rothville, Missouri. She was the daughter of Josiah Dent Bible and Alda Genella (Wolfe) Bible. She grew up in Colony, Kansas. She also lived in Kansas City, Missouri; San Diego, California; Garnett, Kansas; and later, Ottawa, Kansas. Cena graduated from Colony High School and attended Kansas State University, Emporia State University, and Norman Feather School of Art. She was the first female commercial artist hired at Western Auto in Kansas City, Missouri. She later worked at Consolidate Vaulte Corporation, later known as Convair, as a technical illustrator, on B-24 and PBY Aircraft Manuals. After World War II, she moved to Garnett, Kansas and operated dairy farms with her husband while maintaining her career as a free lance artist. She was a member of Daughters of American Revolution. As an artist, she won the Vanderslice Scholarship awarded to her by Thomas Hart Benton for her painting “Freckles”. She also received national recognition for her famous painting, “People Are Just No Damn Good”. Her painting has been shown in all of the forty-eight continental United States. On October 19, 1939, Cena was united in marriage with Earl F. Benjamin at Westport Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, Missouri. He preceded her in death January 5, 1999. She is survived by her: Son-Dent Benjamin and his wife, Kathy, of Ottawa, Kansas; Daughter-Genell Benjamin of Lawrence, Kansas; Adopted Daughter-Bobbi (Mattix) Richards of Garnett, Kansas; Grandson-Russell Benjamin of Ottawa, Kansas; Grandson-Dustin Benjamin of Lawrence, Kansas. She is preceded in death by her: Husband-Earl F. Benjamin, Father-Josiah Dent Bible, Mother-Alda Genella (Wolfe) Bible, Three sisters and two brothers. SERVICES: Funeral services will be held at First Christian Church in Garnett, Kansas, at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23, 2010. IN STATE: Mrs. Benjamin will lie in state at the Dengel & Son Mortuary in Ottawa after 10:00 a.m. Monday, where the family will meet with friends 7:00 to 8:00 Monday evening. CEMETERY: Colony Cemetery in Colony, Kansas. MEMORIALS: The family suggests memorial contributions to East Central KS Area Agency on Aging, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.