Mrs. Barbara Ann Gregory Benfield, 80, of Statesville, N.C., passed away on Friday, September 11, 2020, peacefully with her family by her side.

Mrs. Benfield was born in Sioux City, Iowa on June 5, 1940, and was the daughter of the late Orville and Anna Lauritsen Gregory. On November 17, 1956 she married Harvey S. “Benny” Benfield and together they shared 63 years of marriage before her passing.

Barbara was a very active woman. She enjoyed ice skating, roller skating, snow skiing, roller blading, and motorcycling. Barbara loved music. She sang and played the bass guitar and violin. She and her husband played music for over 60 years. They played country and gospel. For the last 40 years, they played in many churches and most of the local nursing facilities.

Barbara was the owner/operator of Barbara’s Poodle Parlor during the 1970s. She and her husband also established Iredell Air Care, where they worked in aircraft maintenance. Barbara served as Benny’s CFO and overall supervisor of the company, yet another partnership they enjoyed to retirement. Her most rewarding job ever was not even a paid job. It was motherhood.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Milt and Bill Gregory.

She and Benny raised four children, Jeff Benfield (Elizabeth) and Randy Benfield (Ronda), both of Statesville, Retha B. Davis (Kevin) of Catawba, and Kristina B. Ferri (Guy) of Charlotte. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Jennifer Scott (Andrew), Daniel Benfield (Samantha), Zac Benfield, Luke Benfield (Corinne), Kasey Benfield (Roy), Lara D. Freeze (Brad), Josh Houston (Amanda), Lily and Gabriel Ferri; and eight great-grandchildren, Abigail and Jack Scott, Uriah and Eden Benfield, Davis and Lynleigh Freeze, and Brayden and Ryan Hedrick. A brother, Jim Gregory of Statesville, also survives.

Funeral services honoring the life of Barbara Benfield will be conducted at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 13, 2020, at Beulah Baptist Church with Rev. Brian Burgess officiating. The family will speak with friends for one hour prior to the funeral service. Burial will follow in the Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be David Johnson, Billy Smith, Todd Sharpe, Tony Sharpe, Tony Gregory, Clay Lackey, Kent Benfield, and Brad Freeze. Honorary pallbearers will be Ronnie Black and Bobby Gage.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Jude’s Cancer Research at www.stjude.org/donate or by mail at St. Jude’s Cancer Research, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Online condolences can be made to the family at www.nicholsonfunerals.com. Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the family of Barbara Benfield.