Judith "Judy" Marie (Braun) Bennett, daughter of Leonard and Regina (Dreiling) Braun was born April 8, 1946 at St. Anthony Hospital in Hays. She passed away October 15, 2014 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. She was 68 years of age.

Judy attended grade school at Plainview Country School and graduated from Stockton High School with the class of 1963. While attending high school, she worked on the family farm. She went on to attend business school in Omaha, Nebraska. Upon her graduation from business school, she went to work for D.G. Hansen Construction in Logan. On December 14, 1963, Judy was united in marriage to Warren Bennett in Logan. The couple made their home on Kansas Avenue in Phillipsburg, where they lived their married life together for 50 years. Judy spent most of her working life with KN Energy for over 25 years. She retired upon the company closing its office in Phillipsburg. In pursuit of her lifelong love for sewing, she and Warren opened "A Bennett Creation", where she was a seamstress and did monogramming and embroidery. Warren joined her in the business after his retirement in 2007. A favorite activity for Judy and Warren was going to the Kansas State Fair each year to check out the latest sewing machines. They proudly celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in December 2013.

Judy was an active member of the Phillips County Hospital Auxiliary, having earned her 1000 hours pen. She served as judge at many of the 4-H clothing and style shows. Her love for sewing started in high school; she made many dresses for the special occasions of family and friends. Judy also enjoyed getting together with family to make mints; those mints were oftentimes found wherever family gathered. Having survived a bout with breast cancer, she was a member of the S.O.S. (Sisters of Survivorship) of Hays. She was an active member of Saints Phillip and James Catholic Church and Altar Society of Phillipsburg. Judy cherished time spent with family; especially her nieces and nephews. She loved spoiling them, and thought of them as her own. She was known for her kindness to others, and always greeted them with a smile. Her laugh was unmistakable and very contagious. The only complaint family members can recall her making was when she was in high school and had to stack square bales. She wanted to know, "Who invented those stupid square bales?" because they were a pain to stack. Judy's kind hearted spirit will be forever missed by many.

Survivors include two brothers, Donald Braun and wife Norma of Stockton, and LeRoy Braun of Phillipsburg; one sister, Barbara and husband Kenny Zimmerman of Hays; four nephews, David Chestnut and wife Chris, Delton Braun and wife Gina, Scott Zimmerman and wife Corrie, and Mike Braun and wife Jen; seven nieces Regina and husband Alan Borthwick, Rhonda and husband Randy Stegmaier, Rolanda and husband Rick Capps, Roxie Braun, Becky and husband Terry Davis, Denise and husband Mike Kemp, Kathy and husband Tim Cossaart; thirty-one great nieces and nephews; eight great-great nieces and nephews; one aunt; and numerous cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Hugh and Neva Bennett; her sister-in-law, Thelma Braun; and two great-nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, October 20 at 10:00 a.m. in the SS Phillip and James Catholic Church, Phillipsburg, with Father George Chalbhagam Celebrant. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg.

A Rosary and Vigil service will be held Sunday at 7:00 p.m. in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel.

Mrs. Bennett's body will lie in state Saturday from noon to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 9:00 p.m. with family present for visitation from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., all at the funeral home.

Memorials have been established to the SS Phillip and James Altar Society or Sisters of Survivorship (S.O.S.) of Hays, sent in care of the funeral home.