Peggy Regl Bennett

Peggy Bennett ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Welch Funeral Home on Mar. 9, 2026.A true friend to all who ever knew her, Peggy Regl Bennett, 93, of Starkville andHattiesburg, Mississippi, died peacefully on her own terms March 5, 2026.Memorial services will be announced at a later date.Born Peggy Ann Dent in Macon, Georgia, in 1933, she was the second child of thelate Oscar Ray Dent and Nina Mae Dent (nee Cowan). Ray was a skilled welderand the family traveled north through Georgia and South Carolina as he followedbetter opportunities. They finally settled in the Philadelphia suburb of Folsom,Pennsylvania in 1937 – the place that would be Peggy's home for the next twenty-three years.Possessed of a keen intellect, clever wit and outgoing personality, Peggy alwaysmade true and sincere friends easily. She attended Ridley Township High Schoolwhere those attributes placed her in everything from student government to theaterto cheerleading. She graduated RTHS with honors in 1951.Though not yet sure of her path after graduation, Peggy embraced the greatestlesson her Daddy taught her – that "you have to have a way to make your ownmoney, or you'll be forever beholden to some man!" Her Aunt offered to pay herway through Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, but Peggy just wasn'tready for that commitment. She would later express that decision as her only regretin life. Never without an income, she worked as a full-time secretary and part-timemodel in Philadelphia. Throughout the 1950's, she traveled whenever she could:California, Williamsburg, New York City, Nassau, and to any beach as often aspossible. The beach was her true respite throughout her life – an enduring place ofsupreme calm and joy that relaxed her body, eased her mind, and rejuvenated herboundless spirit.Her favorite Disney movie was the first one: Snow White. And its' song "SomeDay My Prince Will Come" played to her romantic notions of finding true love. Inthe late 1950's, she worked as a secretary for Piasecki Helicoptor in Philadelphia.Every summer and fall, a new crop of recently graduated engineers would arrive.But in the fall of 1959, the new cadre included Bob Regl – a bright and idealisticyoung engineer from across the river in Camden, New Jersey. Peggy and Bob hadpassed pleasantries at the office a few times, but nothing more. Then, one Octobermorning, Peggy missed her ride to work and was walking toward a bus stop thatBob was driving past. Recognizing her from the office, he pulled over to offer her aride to work. She accepted and soon afterward realized that someday was now –and her prince had come indeed. They married in February 1960, and son John wasborn in May 1961. Peggy and Bob would share the adventures of a lifetimetogether, camping and traveling throughout the country and cruising around theworld for the next five decades.They moved to Champaign, Illinois in 1967 and then to Starkville in 1970. Peggyearned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Education at MSU. For the rest of hercareer, she was always a favorite among her students and colleagues alike. Shetaught in the Starkville public schools until she, Bob and John moved to NewOrleans in the summer of 1980. Peggy continued her career as a professionaleducator, teaching at a Lutheran school in Metairie, Louisiana before taking apublic teaching position with the St. Charles Parish School District.In 1986, Bob's aerospace work took him and Peggy to Brigham City, Utah – areturn to the picturesque west they had traveled so extensively in the 1960's andnever forgotten. The magic of it was still there and they reveled in the adventure ofit again. Peggy continued as an educator and educational psychometrist for theWeber School District in nearby Ogden until her retirement. It was in that role shefound her greatest professional joy and satisfaction, as well as some of her highestprofessional accolades and recognition.Throughout their life together, Peggy and Bob were active in their home churchesaround the country, including Good Shepherd Lutheran in Champaign, St. LukeLutheran in Starkville, St. John Lutheran in New Orleans, Holy Cross Lutheran inBrigham City, and The Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Hattiesburg.Peggy and Bob retired to Hattiesburg in 2000 to be closer to John and his familyand to be nearer to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast beaches of Florida andAlabama – the site of so many happy times, special moments, and favoriterestaurants. They traveled and cruised as extensively as they could until Bob'sdeclining health made it impossible. Peggy lovingly cared for him and made himas comfortable as possible during those three most difficult years of his life beforehis death in 2015. After a couple of days attending to necessary details, she wentwhere she knew she could find solace and respite: the beach. Everyone understoodcompletely – she had certainly earned it.Yet Peggy's adventures were far from over and she found love again with GeorgeBennett – a recently-widowed family friend from their Illinois and MSU days. TheRegls and Bennetts had remained family friends long after MSU. Peggy andGeorge began seeing each other in late 2015.In 2016, granddaughter Erica moved in with Peggy while attending medical schoolin Hattiesburg. It was a magical time with the daily comings and goings of Ericaand her friends – and the Hattiesburg house was more fully alive than ever. Peggyloved the bustle and energy of the young 20-somethings regularly buzzing abouther home. And they all loved her and included her in the goings on.Peggy and George married in August 2017, dancing to the theme song of theirrelationship: Tony Bennett's "Second Time Around." They found a second churchhome together in Starkville's Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. And for therest of Peggy's long life, they shared trips to the beach and Chicago and anywhereelse they could in their surprising time together – their lucky second time around.Peggy stayed in touch with friends old and new throughout her life, and they withher. She valued each friendship individually and thrilled to the news of what washappening in their lives. The cruel trade-off of such a long life as hers was theheartache of outliving so many of them. But she always countered that the joys ofthe friendships far exceeded the pains of the losses.Peggy was preceded in death by her parents; parents-in-law, Stephen Regl, Jr. andwife Grace Ethel (nee Krumm) of Bellmawr, NJ; step-mother Pearl Emma Dent(nee Paul) of Pottsville, PA; her husband of fifty-five years Dr. Robert RichardRegl of Hattiesburg; brother Robert Ray Dent and wife Norma Ruth (nee Jones) ofRidley Park, PA; brother-in-law Stephen Regl, III and wife Nancy Leona (neeBordeau) of Wake Forest, NC and Wenonah, NJ, respectively; nieces Mrs. KarenElizabeth Rohrer (nee Dent) of Ridley Park, PA and Ms. Donna Lee Regl of WakeForest, NC.She is survived by her husband of eight years, Dr. Albert George Bennett, Jr. ofStarkville; son John Robert Regl and wife Elizabeth Helen (nee Cuccia) ofColumbus; stepdaughter Ms. Laurie Evelyn Bennett of Hernando, MS; stepsonGeorge Robert Bennett and wife Lisa (nee Braby) of Savannah, GA; granddaughterDr. Erica Jane Regl Mullins and husband Dr. Jared Brett Hayden Mullins ofChicago, IL; step-granddaughters Sara Harper Bennett, Laura McKay Bennett andHanna Claire Bennett of Savannah, GA; nephew Gary Ronald Dent and wifeLaurie (nee Ogilvie) of Media, PA; great-nephew Kevin Dent and his daughterHannah Dent of Media, PA; great nieces Ms. Tracy Dent of Philadelphia, PA andMs. Kelly Dent of New York, NY; and her great-grandson Emmett HaydenBeckham Mullins of Chicago.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.