Paula Bennett Smith

Paula Bennett Smith passed away peacefully at home on the morning of July 8, 2025 in Mesa, Arizona. Born March 26, 1947 in Delta, Millard County, Utah, to Wilford and Colona Ruth Petersen Bennett, Paula was the eldest of nine children (five girls and four boys). She cherished her family and friends, loved to drive trucks, and see the sites across America.

Paula grew up in the small town of Holden, Utah on the Bennett family farm. As the oldest, she had many responsibilities. She helped plant the garden, milk the cow, and helped care for her younger siblings. Spending so much time caring for her younger brothers and sisters gave Paula a deep love for children; they brought a smile to her face and joy to her soul. The Bennett family enjoyed camping, fishing, riding horses, and spending their days having lots of outdoor fun together. Life had its hard moments, but the trials brought their family closer.

Although married several times, Paula’s greatest joy came when she was blessed with her beautiful daughter Kimberley. After Kim graduated high school and married her childhood sweetheart Sam Probert in 1984, Paula took on a new passion: truck driving. She drove for Swift Transportation (1984-1996), Advance Express (1996-2005), and then helped co-found KSK Transport. As a professional driver, Paula traveled all over the United States and Canada. She loved to see the country and gained a great appreciation of its beauty.

Nephew Benjamin Heinecke wrote the following poem about Paula, beautifully describing her life story:

The Day She Received Her Wings: A Poem for Paula

The day she received her wings,
the sky opened wide in colors no eye had seen—
a hush fell over the roads she once drove,
as petals of sunrise fell gently on the earth.

She was a sunflower soul,
rooted in truth, reaching for light—
the kind of woman who could break through stone
with tenderness, and still offer you a smile
that made you believe again.

Her back may have broken,
but her spirit never did.
It flew in eighteen wheels across the map,
blazing highways of love and grit,
singing with the wind and
carrying more than just freight—
she carried hearts,
she carried stories,
she carried souls.

She loved like God does—
without condition,
without pause.
She saw people, really saw them,
and said with her eyes:
“You’re enough, you’re loved,
and you’re never alone.”

Her daughter Kim, radiant like a film star,
was her mirror—graceful, sparkling,
an echo of Doris Day’s sweetness,
singing in the rain of life
with Paula’s quiet strength beneath her.

And now she belongs to the stars,
cradled in the arms of angels,
dancing in fields where pain cannot reach,
laughing in gardens lit by Divine light.
She is the breeze through the tall grass,
the warmth on your cheek,
the whisper in your dreams:
“I’m here, my love. I’m always here.”

So grieve, but not without wonder—
for the day she received her wings
was not an ending,
but a bloom eternal.

Paula was preceded in death by her parents Wilford and Colona Bennett, and former spouse Richard Chidester. She is survived by all eight of her siblings: sisters Wilma “Willie” Mitch (Duane), Veneda Bruner, Norma Heinecke, and Naoma Wilson (Dave); and brothers Calvin W. Bennett (Tami), Donald Kay Bennett (Terri), Robert Jay Bennett (LuAnn), and Gordon S. Bennett (Darshan). Additionally, she is survived by daughter Kimberley Probert, son-in-law Sam Probert, her beautiful grandchildren Kyle Bud Probert (Aubrey), Solena Probert, Keaton James Probert; great-grandchildren Jake Samuel Probert, Garrett Kyle Probert, Jaxx Wade Probert; stepdaughter Paula Chidester , many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

The family will hold a graveside service honoring Paula on October 4, 2025 in Holden, Utah. In lieu of flowers or donations the family invites you to share your favorite memories of Paula on the online condolences section found at https://bunkerfuneral.com / obituaries

Arrangements by Bunker’s University Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.