Bennett, Selester Averette

Selester A. Bennett of Christiansburg, Virginia former resident of Blacksburg, Va., passed away Friday, March 13, 2009 at his home. He was born in Chatham, Va. on January 10, 1964 to Edward and Katheryn D. Bennett. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Percy and Ollie Bennett and Sarah Pannell.

He was member of Corinth Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for thirty-four years. He earned his Bachelors, M.Ed and Doctorate degrees from Virginia Tech. He was a member of the distinguished MuNu Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He was President of Nature Diagnostics, Inc. and Chief Scientific Officer for Applied Food Technologies both located at the VA Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia.

He is survived by his wife and college sweetheart of twenty-three years (dated for 11 years and married for twelve years), Katrina Everette-Bennett and “the apple of his eye “, Christopher M. Haywood, Jr. of the home; his father and mother, Edward and Katheryn (Chatham); his grandfather, Joseph Pannell (Chatham); five uncles: Otis Pannell (Duluth, Ga.), Ira Bennett (Killeen, Texas), Robert, Ralph and Allen Bennett (Chatham); four aunts: Katherine Younger (Chatham), Shirley Terry (Danville), JoAnn Bennett (Chatham), Sallie Herndon (Newport News); his father-in-law, Frank M. Everette, II (Lynchburg); his mother-in-law, Frances Hicks-Everette (Forest, Va.); grandmother-in-law, Mamie C. Everette (Lynchburg) ; uncle-in-law, John W. Hicks, Jr. (Evington) ; and a host of family; colleagues and friends.

The family is receiving friends at the home 340 Hodnetts Mill Road, Chatham. A funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 19, 2009 at Corinth Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Chatham, Va. with the Rev. Gary N. Page, officiating and Interment in the Hillcrest Burial Park. The remains will lie in state at the church one hour prior to service. Services rendered by Miller Funeral Home of Gretna, Va.