Family of mom killed in Tallahassee tornado sets up GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses

Jeff Burlew, Tallahassee Democrat
Updated ·2 min read
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The family of Carolyn Benton, a mother of three who was killed in the May 10 tornado outbreak in Tallahassee, has set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses.

Benton, 47, died after a large oak tree fell on her mobile home as she lay in bed. Her fiance, Ed Sutton, was home at the time but escaped injury.

A graveside service for Benton is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Ford Chapel AME Church Cemetery, 7671 West Lake Road in Monticello. A public viewing will be held 4-7 p.m. Friday at Hagan Funeral Service, 175 N. Railroad St., Monticello.

Carolyn Benton, a mother of three and assistant manager at a local Zaxby's, was killed when a large oak tree crashed into her bedroom off Aenon Church Road on Friday, May 10, 2024, during severe storms that saw three tornadoes and 100-mph straight-line winds hit Leon County.
Carolyn Benton, a mother of three and assistant manager at a local Zaxby's, was killed when a large oak tree crashed into her bedroom off Aenon Church Road on Friday, May 10, 2024, during severe storms that saw three tornadoes and 100-mph straight-line winds hit Leon County.

Asia Charlton, one of Benton’s two daughters, organized the GoFundMe, saying that she and her sister and brother need help covering the funeral expenses. Benton also is survived by her eldest daughter, Caratoshia Avant, and her son, Keyon Wilson.

“She currently leaves behind three children who will miss her dearly with every passing day," Charlton wrote. “She was loving and caring and she always helped others in their time of need.”

As detailed by the Tallahassee Democrat, Benton spent years working for restaurants in Tallahassee, including Zaxby’s, where she worked as an assistant manager, Popeyes and Bojangles. The night before she died, she took a homeless woman shopping at Walmart and picked up the bill.

Several readers reached out to the Democrat to ask whether a fund had been created to help the family.

“That’s why God put us on this earth, to help other people,” one caller said.

The GoFundMe is located at https://www.gofundme.com/f/assist-asias-family-in-their-time-of-loss.

One other person, a 17-year-old girl, was killed in the storms after she was reportedly struck by a falling tree. Her name has not been released.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Family of mom killed in Tallahassee tornado sets up GoFundMe