Novella Chism Bender

Novella Chism Bender, born December 4, 1919 in Baghdad KY, was called Home by her Savior on March 2, 2017. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at 11:00AM at Mabel White Baptist Church, 1415 Bass Road, Macon, GA 31210. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service. Dr. Lee Sheppard and the Reverend David Franklin will officiate. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mabel White (for Nigerian mission work). Novella was predeceased by her husband, William Bender, and siblings, Marvin Chism, Arvin Chism, and Sylvia Victor. She served for thirty-one years as missionary to Nigeria. She was a resident of Macon and member of Mabel White since 2004. Her life of service was marked by her gifts of teaching, hospitality, and generosity. As a teen-ager, Novella was called by God as a missionary to Africa. In preparation, she earned a Bachelor's degree from Carson-Newman College, Jeffersonville, TN and a Masters of Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Seminary, Fort Worth Texas. After five years in the pastorate in Arlington, VA, she and her late husband "Bill" Bender were appointed by the International Mission Board in 1955 to serve as missionaries in Nigeria. Novella remained there until 1985, after Bill's tragic death in 1980. In Nigeria, she taught in various capacities: Baptist Boys' High School in Abeokuta, homeschooling her own three children, Hillcrest School (for missionaries' children) in Jos, Women's Training Center of the Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomosho. She and her late husband served as house-parents in school for missionaries' children in Oshogbo and she served as hostess for guest houses in Jos and Ogbomosho. Before her appointment to Nigeria, Novella taught school in Frankfort, KY and was secretary, housemother, and director of religious education at the Baptist Children's Home, San Antonio, TX. After retirement, she served as ombudsman at Tanbark personal care home in Lexington, KY. After her move to Macon, she remained active in personal ministry to all who knew her. Novella is survived by her daughters, Marci Hutchinson (Stan) of Macon, and Angie Smith (Jim) of Seattle, WA; son, Phil Bender (Mary) of Lexington, KY; eleven grandchildren, Erin Brown (Dave), Heather Weir (Jay), Michael Turney (Ashley), Kristyn Salsman (Isaac), David Bender, Becky Loscalzo (Mike), Chris Guzzardo (Anna), Kathryn King (Scott), David Hutchinson (India), Kelly Thompson (Greg), Kyle Hutchinson (Leah); twenty-one great grandchildren; siblings, Melvin Chism (Gail) of Tucson, AZ, Sue Dyer of Colorado, and Narvilla Woody of Frankfort, KY; and brother-in-law, John Victor of Amissville, VA. Sign guest book online at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary at the Cupola has charge of arrangements.