Bennie Lee Kirtman

On Thursday, January 29th, the Lord gently called our beloved mother, Bennie Lee, home—bringing an end to her earthly pain and suffering. In recent years, her health and memory had declined, yet even in the face of those challenges, she remained herself—determined, strong-willed, and intent on living life on her own terms. That was always her way.

Bennie Lee was born in Galveston, Texas, to Benjamin and Theetter Kirtman. At just ten months old, she relocated with her family to San Francisco, California, where she would spend most of her life. Her spiritual foundation was rooted early at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, where her parents worshiped and where she later raised her own children in faith.

In 1958, just shy of her seventeenth birthday, Bennie Lee welcomed her first son, Andre Louis. Though she began motherhood at an early age, she never allowed that to define her limits. She graduated from George Washington High School and went on to attend nursing school, later working at a hospital in San Francisco’s Chinatown district. Realizing nursing was not her true calling, she transitioned into a career at Bechtel around 1967—a professional path that would become a steady and defining part of her life.

Bennie Lee was the proud mother of four children. After Andre, she welcomed her second son, Erric Matthew, in 1962 with Calvin Louis Barnes. Two more children followed: Damion Larell in 1967 and Yolanda Dolores in 1971. She later married Albert White, the father of her two youngest children. Though her marriage ended, her commitment to motherhood never wavered. She also opened her heart to Dwayne Moss, the son of her lifelong best friend Evelyn, loving him as one of her own. As a devoted single mother, she carried the weight of responsibility with strength and quiet resolve. It was not easy—but she endured.

Her life was marked by resilience. She survived an abusive marriage and, in her thirties, a devastating car accident that left her hospitalized in a back brace with a long and painful recovery ahead. Time and again, Bennie Lee rebuilt her life. When circumstances knocked her down, she found a way to rise, gather the pieces, and begin again.

Following her recovery, she worked for the United Auto Workers (UAW) in San Francisco before eventually returning to Bechtel. While caring for her aging mother, she accepted a transfer to Bechtel Nevada and purchased a home in North Las Vegas. That chapter represented renewal—a fresh start and one of the happiest seasons of her life. The passing of her mother, Theetter, in August 1996 was a profound loss, leaving her without living parents, but she carried forward with strength.

Nevada remained her home for more than 15 years. She retired from Bechtel and later returned to California around 2004 to be closer to her family, who were among her greatest joys. Eventually, her love for Las Vegas drew her back once more.

In 1978, Bennie Lee deepened her relationship with God and found her spiritual home. For more than 45 years, her faith anchored her. The church became her refuge, her strength, and her steady source of guidance. Through every trial and triumph, she held firmly to her belief in God’s promises. She never gave up.

Her legacy lives on through her four children; Andre Barnes, Erric Barnes Medina (Carlos) Damion White and Yolanda Dawan; her eight grandchildren—Andre Brown, Kadir Bonner (Leonor), Katie Barnes, Chaga Kwa Nwa, Kashandra Barnes, Krystal Barnes, Tishanti Howard (Kenyon), and Sasha Wakefield (Miles); seventeen great-grandchildren; and a host of cousins, church family, and dear friends who will miss her deeply.

We will remember her strength. We will remember her perseverance. We will remember her love and her candor, especially when she expressed things that upset her!

A Celebration of Life will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday, February 27th, at 12:30 p.m. at Bunker’s Eden Vale Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd., North Las Vegas, Nevada 89101.

The graveside service will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Bunker’s Eden Vale Memorial Park, 1216 Las Vegas Blvd., North Las Vegas, NV 89101.

She fought her battles. She ran her race. And now she rests.