Bennie was born May 12, 1955, in Montgomery, AL. He was the oldest of five children. Bennie's mother, Josephine Henderson Merritt, passed when he was a very young child and he was reared by his grandmother, Bertha Henderson.

Due to his mother's early death, the siblings were separated. Bennie was reared with his two youngest siblings while two of his sisters were reared in Los Angeles, CA with their father. Bennie's grandmother was a woman of faith and as such she shared her faith with him. Under her influence he accepted Christ early in life and was baptized at Beulah Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Bennie was educated in the Birmingham City Schools. As a student at Lincoln Elementary, he played in the band under the tutelage of Dr. Frank E. Adams. He sometimes reminisced on those times and the influence Dr. Adams had in his life. It was not wonder he developed a love of music that he carried with him throughout life.

Bennie also spent a great deal of his time at the A.G. Gaston Boys Club. There he excelled in sports. He enjoyed playing basketball and baseball, earning several trophies.

When Bennie went to high school football took over. He was a very proud Phillips High School Red Raider. Ever the social butterfly and lover of music, he continued to flourish as a football player while still making time to join with his brothers in the field in pursuing music through his voice. He was, as it turned out, a gifted singer and he truly enjoyed singing with his friends on the football team.

Bennie's passionate pursuit of athletics yielded an invitation to play football under a scholarship for Lincoln University in Missouri. Unfortunately, his career was cut short by an injury, causing him to return home and enter the workforce. His longest employment was with Brunos Warehouse where he retired on disability.

Bennie was a hard worker, and he met the strenuous demands of the job. Unfortunately working in the freezer was no friend to his health. Though
he tried to continue working he eventually retired under the advisement of his physician.

Just as he loved athletics and music, he was a lover of his Fountain Heights community and beyond. As such, he strongly believed in civic engagement. He believed we have a duty to exercise our right to vote and to remember the struggle our people endured to earn that right for all of us. He educated himself on the social and political events of our nation. He voted in all elections and participated in the commemorative marches as though they were required.

Ever the lover of sports and community, it made sense that he loved the football team bearing the name of his home state...Alabama. Bennie was one of the University of Alabama's most ardent fans. He was 100% ROLL TIDE. He did not leave home without some type of Bama apparel, whether a tee shirt, cap, jacket. Strangers knew he was a fan. Even the home health and hospice team knew he was a fan by the Bama memorabilia in his home. They often greeted him with a Roll Tide.

Bennie departed this life at home on January 9, 2026, after a long-fought battle. Though he wasn't ready to leave us, he grew tired and accepted that God was calling him home. I have no doubt that his voice is restored and he's singing in the heavenly choir of angels.

Bennie was preceded in death by his brother, Lorenzo Merritt, and more recently (December 12th) his sister, Bertha Merritt.

He leaves behind to honor and cherish is memory two sisters, Josephine Cotchery of Birmingham; Mary Means of Tuscaloosa; sister-in-law, Patricia Merritt; six nephews, four nieces; aunt and caregiver Lovan Watson, Birmingham; aunt, Edna Ross of Temecula CA.; a special sister-cousin-caregiver, Cynthia Watson.