Sheilah Benjamin

Sheilah L. Benjamin was born January 21, 1957 and was raised by mother Catherine Kidd Lockley and father Esau Kidd and was told “well done my good and faithful servant” on April 3, 2022. 

She grew up in Philadelphia, PA, where she met the love of her life at the age of 8.  They lived on the same block until they married and started their Army life journey.  While being an Army spouse for 23 years, she and her husband were stationed in Ft. Benning, GA, Berlin, Germany, Ft. Polk, LA, Ft. Hood, Tx, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, Fulda, Germany and Ft. Lee, VA.  After their retirement from the Army, they settled in Topping, VA in Middlesex County for 22 years before relocating to Myrtle Beach, where they have lived for the past 3 years.

She was an accomplished woman who held many different spiritual and educational certifications and credentials.  She was all about God first, family, advocacy and prevention. She helped any and everyone she could even when they did not know or deserve it.  She was many things to many different people, a beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, teacher, and prayer warrior/partner.  She blessed pretty much everyone she came in contact with and left no doubt to anyone about her love for God and that He was the head of her life.  She was affectionately called “Nanny” by her grandkids and “Mrs. Benjamin” by others who looked up to her as another mother.   

Left to cherish her memory are her husband Eric L. Benjamin; children: Eric Benjamin Jr., Sarina Bagby (Benjamin) of Locust Hill VA, Elaine McLaurin (Tony) of Chesterfield, VA, Marcello Forehand of Richmond, VA, Marcia Forehand of Jacksonville, FL; her grandkids: Lorenzo Glade, Latressa Bagby, Jazmyn Blowe, Brianna Bagby, Kamarin McLaurin, Roderick Blowe,  Desiree Bagby, Manny McLaurin, Alexander Glade, Joshua McLaurin, Tatiyana Forehand and Leon Benjamin Zintgraf her great grandchildren: Brayden Blowe, and twins Aden & Cayden; siblings Rena Morris, Leslie Kidd, Jonathan Thornton, Gregory Thornton, and stepsiblings Nadine Sheppard (Mac), Percy Lockley Jr. (Shirley) and Pricilla Johnson (Andy) and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. 

She was preceded in death by her mother Catherine Kidd Lockley, birth father Alvin Thornton, father Esau Kidd and stepfather Percy Lockley Sr. and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins that she was greeted by at the Pearly Gates. 

The Celebration of Life for Mrs. Benjamin will be Saturday, May 14, 2022, at 5 p.m. at Destiny Church in Chester, VA (11930 Old Stage Rd, Chester, VA 23836).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to William Deagle Ministries, which meant a lot to her.  You can donate by going to their website:  https://www.williamdeagleministries.org/ or by sending a check or money order payable to William Deagle Ministries and mail to:

William Deagle Ministries, Inc.

558 Mulberry Fern Dr

Auburn, GA 30011

Ocean View Funeral Home and Beach Crematory, Myrtle Beach Chapel is assisting the Benjamin Family.

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