Benna Lee Jenkins Felts Tarter was born on February 6, 1911, in the 'piney woods' country of east Texas. She was the second of eight children born to Richard Thomas and Jessie Fowler Jenkins, and when she was a child the family moved west. They were briefly in eastern New Mexico, and then bought a farm between Lariat and Muleshoe. As the children grew up, they all worked in the fields.

Benna graduated from high school at Oklahoma Lane and then went to a business college in Amarillo. There she met Charlie Albert Felts on a blind date, and they were married in January 1931. Charlie was manager of a Furr Foods grocery store and transferred from Dalhart to Hereford, back and forth two or three times during WW II years. Their children (Charles Lee, Kayla Modine, Richard Edwin) were all born in Dalhart.

Benna was an accomplished seamstress. She did alterations for local dress shops in both Dalhart and Hereford, and made lovely wedding dresses for several brides. Dalhart was the location of an Army Air Base, and Benna worked a secretary to the Air Commander for the duration of the war.

In 1946 Charlie and Benna bought a country grocery store in Lariat and moved there. This was before the days of big box stores, and they made a comfortable living for their family. Benna worked at the cash register, getting acquainted with all the farm family neighbors. A local 'help yourself'' laundry in Lariat closed, and Benna opened a laundry in a building near the grocery store. Local women would bring their laundry to use the machines (this was before washers and dryers were common household appliances), and Benna often did laundry for bachelor neighbors who had no wives to take care of them.

Charlie's health began to deteriorate, and Benna started working in the tax assessor’s office and then the county treasurer's office. When she was widowed in 1979, Benna sold the house and store buildings and moved to Farwell. She was appointed County Treasurer to fill out a term, and then was re-elected for subsequent terms. "It's easier and more fun to run when you don't have an opponent," she is said to have quipped.

Archie Tarter was a County Judge whose wife had recently died, and his office was across the hall from Benna's. They began going to Clovis occasionally for 'supper,' and Benna assured her children they were "not dating, just eating together.” Not long after, they 'eloped' and were married by one of Archie's judge friends in another county. They had ten happy years together before Archie's death.

For the last seven or eight years, Benna lived in the Farwell Convalescent Center, where she enjoyed socializing with other residents and staff.

Benna was preceded in death by husbands Charlie and Archie; sisters Modine (Boone) Allison, Jo (Bob) Hammonds, Paula (Bill) Harmon; brothers Dana, Douglas, and Herbert "Boe"; and sons Charles (Karole) and Dick (Dolores "Doe").

She is survived by her youngest brother Howard, Albuquerque; daughter Kayla (Warren) Skelton, Idaho; and five grandchildren: Keri (Michael) Brinegar, Santa Fe; Charles William "C.W" (Tricia), Indiana; Tracy Gray, Terrell; Kelly (Jeff) Deatherage, Oregon; Koby (Karen) Skelton, California; and Benna Underwood, Arkansas; three great-granddaughters and great-grand-step-son: Kara Felts, Caitlin Pollastro, Katerah Underwood, and Jason Gray; and one great-great-granddaughter. She also had a number of nieces and nephews scattered across the Southwest.

Benna was a true original who was known for her quick wit and generous spirit. She was well-loved by family and friends and will be missed.

A burial service will be held on Friday, May 20th at 3:00 p.m. at Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens in North Clovis.

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