Evelyn Roark Bennett of Dodge passed away peacefully on January 8, 2026. Born September 4, 1941, to Edwin "Baby" and Vennie Mae Roark, she was preceded in death by her husband of almost 60 years, Billy Joe Bennett Sr.; her parents; her sister, Jane Roark Bartee; and her brother, Joe (Jody) Roark.

She is survived by her brothers, Edwin Roark Jr., Robert Roark, and Gary Roark. She is also survived by her children: Billy (Kay) Bennett Jr., Karen (Martin) Jones, and Brenda (Ronnie) Waters; and her grandchildren: Frances (Curtis) Gulick, Samantha (Adam) Miller, Lindsay (Mike) Moralez, Christopher (Marissa) Jones, Caitlin (Clint) McCrystal, Ryan (Katrina) Bennett, and Carrie Jones. Evelyn also delighted in her eight great-grandchildren: Clare, Kennedy, Cambree, Wyatt, Henry, Theodore, Evelyn "Evie," and Elliott.

Evelyn and Billy owned Huntsville Auto Sales and served the community there for many years. Evelyn later worked at the Walker County Vehicle Registration Office, where she was known for her customer service skills. She went out of her way to help others, and people looked forward to seeing her smiling face.

Evelyn's two great loves were her family and music. She showed her love by spending countless hours preparing meals for the entire family, making sure everyone felt cared for, and playing games around the kitchen table. Her home was filled with love and laughter. She also took great delight in listening to gospel music, as it reminded her of her heavenly home. Attending gospel concerts and watching gospel videos were among her favorite pastimes, along with being part of a musical family. Evelyn ministered as a song leader in her church and sang numerous duets with her sister.

Her family will miss her deeply but finds comfort in knowing she is with Christ in heaven, enjoying the most wonderful gospel music ever.

The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at Sundale Senior Living, to Tameka at A Home Is Where the Heart Is, and to Benchmark Hospice for all they did to make Evelyn's last days peaceful.

There will be a family graveside service at a later date.