Mary Ellen (Sowards) Bentley

Mary Ellen Sowards Bentley “Granny”, 77, of Greenup County, KY, died, Thursday, September 26, 2024 at Portsmouth Health and Rehab. She was born March 6, 1947 in Lucasville, to the late Charles and Wilma (Carter) Sowards.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by three daughters, Charlotte, Terrie, and Lisa “Jake” Elliott, her siblings, John, Robert, Minnie, Terry, Rita Sowards, a grandson, Terry Bennett, and a great-granddaughter, Kerstein Simpson.

Mary is survived by her son, James Elliott “Junior” (Tonyia) of Portsmouth, two brothers, Lester and Charles Sowards, three sisters, Rosalie Meadows, Alice Butler (Byron),  Carolyn Sue Meadows (Lonnie), and a daughter-in-law, Lilly Elliott. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren, Jodi (Brandon), James, Eli, Ashley (Alan), Robert, Ariana (David), Alisha, Holly, Mandy, Rachael (Robert), Rachel, and Brandon, 27 great-grandchildren, Kolton, Kira, Sky’anne, Owen, Connor, Hailey, Heather, Jazmine, Savannah, Sierra, Darrell, Isiah, Drake, Letty, Jack, Liam, Braden, Kendra, Mashala, Noah, Joshua, Mary, Simon, Robert, Morgan, Caydence, and Shylee, and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at Melcher Hammer Funeral Home in Portsmouth with Pastor Joe Moore officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Olive Cemetery in South Shore, KY. A visitation for friends and family will be on Monday from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home and again on Tuesday, one hour before the service.

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