Quentin Earl Benedict, 98, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, passed away on January 27. He was born February 20, 1919, in Campbell County, Kentucky, to Clarence and Bertha Brown Benedict. Quentin was a member of Main Street Baptist Church in Hattiesburg. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.S. in chemical engineering, obtained certification as a professional engineer, and earned a masters in business from the University of Southern Mississippi.

He married his childhood sweetheart, Luella Hodge Benedict, in 1942. They were blessed with six children, five daughters and one son. He spent many of his leisure hours along the Black Creek near Purvis, canoeing and scouring likely camp sites for Native American artifacts, which were later donated to the University of Southern Mississippi. Quentin was a Bible scholar and teacher who taught Sunday School classes from his teen years until the end of 2017. His travels took him on numerous cruises and on trips throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, the Orient, and the Middle East. He was a faithful and long-serving volunteer at Wesley Medical Center. He also participated in the construction of many of Hattiesburg’s Habit for Humanity houses.

Quentin’s professional career was spent in petroleum refining, working in Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Kansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and California. After retiring from full-time jobs, Quentin continued to work as a professional consultant well into his nineties. His expertise led him to tackle refining projects throughout Mississippi, in Louisiana and West Virginia. He also served on the faculty of William Carey University as an instructor and manager of the book store.

Quentin was preceded in death by his wife of 74 years, Luella, his parents and four siblings: Bessie Benedict, Clarence Benedict, Helen Benedict Simmons, and Robert Irvin Benedict. He is survived by a sister, Clara Lea Benedict Dempsey, and his children: son Mark Benedict; daughters, Patricia Valadez, Carol Simmons (Jack), Sue Helms, Connie Benedict, and Rebecca Hatcher (Stan).

His grandchildren are Mark Polk, Melinda Robinson (Mike), Jay Simmons, Alice Simmons, Jeffery Mitchell (Missy), Deborah Cunningham (Jacob), Robert Benedict (Catherine) and Mark Russell Benedict (Charlotte), Ross Hatcher (Betty Clair), Ryan Hatcher (Kayla), Bethany Alcantara (Rene), and Reed Hatcher. He is also survived by nineteen great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.

Quentin has donated his body to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. His memorial service is Sunday, January 28, 3:00 p.m. at Forrest Funeral Home, Hattiesburg, with visitation at 1:00 p.m., prior to the service.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Benedict Scholarship Fund at William Carey University, 498 Tuscan Avenue, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39401.

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