Hildegard Spears Benton, age 85, passed away peacefully, on April 4, 2023, after hospice care in Nashville, Tennessee. “Hilde” was born on January 1, 1938, in Jackson County, Alabama. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Thomas Benton and parents, Audrey Griffith and Hulon Spears. She is survived by her sister, Judy Spears Carpenter (Earle) of Birmingham, Alabama; and her cousin, Clark Nelson “Buck” Carter (Suzanne) of Charlotte, North Carolina. She was the beloved mother of two daughters, Victoria Traywick Clayton and Laura Traywick Moore of Nashville, Tennessee; and grandmother of two grandchildren, Victoria Leigh Read of Nashville, and William Auxford Moore of Huntsville, Alabama.
Hilde earned her master’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Memphis, and had a fulfilling career as a speech pathologist. She was a passionate bridge player throughout her entire life, achieving Gold Life Master level. Hilde was active in her community, including involvement in the Huntsville Historical Society, Huntsville Literary Guild, and Huntsville Museum of Art. She was also active in her bible study and a member of First United Methodist Church in Huntsville.
Known by her friends as vivacious, glamorous, and loving, Hilde was a gracious hostess and a talented Southern cook. She enjoyed traveling and spending time with her husband on Tim’s Ford Lake. Hilde cherished time with her family and many wonderful, life-long friends.
Visitation will be from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 10, 2023, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. A graveside service will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville.
