BENTON — Mrs. Ernestine Thweatt Staples, 94, of Benton, Kentucky, died on Monday, November 19, 2012, at 5:50 p.m. at Spring Creek Health Care in Murray, Kentucky.

She was a member and devoted worker at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church where she was a Sunday school teacher for 20 years. She was a member of the New Zion Women’s Missionary Union.

Mrs. Staples was a wife, homemaker and mother, a seamstress, working for Merit Clothing, and she also worked at the cigar factory in Benton, Ky.

Born Thursday, July 4, 1918, in Marshall County, Kentucky, she was the daughter of the late Isome E. Thweatt and the late Minnie (Rose) Thweatt. Married for 63 years, she was the wife of the late Hafford “Happy” Staples.

Surviving are three daughters, Linda Portis and husband Robert, of Benton, Ky., Janice “Jan” McCuiston and husband Charles, of Murray, Ky., and Sandra “Sandy” Genrick and husband Ron, of Prior Lake, Minn.; eight grandchildren, Mitch Portis of Benton, Ky., Ronecca Joseph of Benton, Ky., LaDon Berlin of Seattle, Wash., Tim Graham of Benton, Ky., Kristi Hopkins of Murray, Ky., Carin Morris of Maple Grove, Minn., Brian Genrick of Savage, Minn., Kelly Hoerter of Barnsville, Minn.; 14 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and caregivers, Jeannie Jones and Rhonda Cox.

She was predeceased by her parents; her husband; four brothers, Raymond Thweatt, Bud Thweatt, Alus Thweatt and Headley Thweatt; and two sisters, Lillian Green and Ruby H. Treas.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 24, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. at the Collier Funeral Chapel, with Bro. Terry Clapp, Bro. C.C. Brasher, and Bro. Rodney Wallace officiating. Interment will follow at Murray Memorial Gardens, Murray, Ky. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 23, 2012, between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at Collier Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be given to the New Zion Baptist Church Building Fund, 2796 Wadesboro Rd. S., Benton, KY 42025.