Funeral service for Gladys E. Benefield, of Lawton, will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, March 19, 2018 at the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Wayne Sanmann, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Medicine Park officiating.

Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery.

The family will greet friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 18, 2018 at the funeral home.

Gladys E. Benefield, age 83, passed away Friday, March 16, 2018 surrounded by her family and loved ones at Ten Oaks Retirement Center Memory Care Unit where she had been a resident for the past three years. Gladys was born February 11, 1935 to Lloyd Brock and Dorothy "Dot" (Naomi) Cochran. She was the middle child of three children. Gladys married SFC (Retired) Bobby Lee "Benny" Benefield on July 14, 1951 in Newnan, GA when she was just 16 years old. It was kept a secret from her parents for almost 4 months.

Gladys was a happy homemaker and lived the life of being a military wife traveling from place to place with her family. She was a cake decorator at Johnson's Bakery and later worked at Dillard's in Lawton. She loved socializing with people and was a devout member of the First Baptist Church of Medicine Park for the last 20 years.

Gladys is survived by her two sons, David Benefield and wife Cindy of Walters, Larry Benefield and wife Charlotte, three daughters, Jeri Anderson, Linda Pandolph and husband Pat of Houston, TX and Denise Rooney, 14 grandchildren, Natilee of Walters, April and James Miller of San Antonio, TX, Michael Benefield of Lawton, Whitney Heinz and husband Tim of Lawton, Tyler Chouinard and wife Tracee of Arizona, Chase Cook and wife Jessica and Emily Cook all of Houston, TX, Christie Johnson and Kaleb, Amanda Pandolph and Chris Olsen all of South Carolina, Jeff Edgmon and Krystal of Walters, Aaron Rooney of Tulsa, Taylor Rooney of Lawton, Shane Rooney of Lawton and McKenzie Pugh and her husband Chad of Lawton. 19 Great grandchildren, Vincent, Peyton and Nva Miller, Macie, Kynlee and Mylee Edgmon, Michelle and Cory Vaughan and Cody West and Kyndra Mason, McKayla, Lucas, and McKenna Heinz, Tristan Chouinard, Caitlyn and Corleigh Pandolph, Chandler and Aubreigh Johnson, and Ainsleigh Olsen, Baylor and Bristol Pugh, two great great grandchildren, Annabel B. West and soon to be Wyatt Vaughan, two brothers, Walter Cochran of Ootelwah, TN and Eugene Cochran and Suzi of Rohan, AL.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association in care of Ten Oaks Retirement Community, Attention: Whitney Heinz, 3610 SE Huntington Cir., Lawton, OK 73501.