Mary Prudence (Bennett) Hutton

Mary Prudence "Prue' Bennett Hutton

Mary Prudence "Prue" Bennett Hutton, former member and president of the Kansas Board of Regents and former Wichita State University student, died Wednesday (March 17, 2010) at Spring Valley Hospital near her home in Las Vegas.

She was married to John A. Hutton for 60 years.

Prue, as regent, is remembered as instrumental in the development of the Wichita branch of the KU Medical Center. She was the 1979 recipient of Wichita State University's Achievement Award. This award is the highest honor given to a Wichita State alumnus or alumna by the WSU Alumni Association. Prue served on the Kansas Committee of the Humanities.

Prue was born on Sept. 26, 1927, in Marysville to Judge and Mrs. Edgar C. Bennett. Her father and grandfather were the first father-and-son state senator and state representative serving in the Kansas Legislature at the same time.

Prue attended Christian College (now Columbia College) in Missouri and graduated from Kansas State University in 1948, where she then taught and did graduate work. Later, she taught at Bethel College in North Newton.

It was her wish that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to Bethel College to the Bethel College Tom Hutton Fund in memory of their youngest, who passed away on Oct. 9, 1965.

The Hutton family lived in Newton for 34 years.

Their eldest, Mary Prudence Hutton Fitzpatrick, lives in Fresno and San Francisco, Calif., with husband Dan Fitzpatrick and is an attorney. They have two children; Danny, UC Berkeley "05, is soon to graduate from the School of Law of the University of San Francisco; Prue, University of Virginia "08, is employed by U.S. Senator Begich (Alaska) in Washington, D.C. Prue and John have twin sons, Andrew W. and Mark B., who practice law in Wichita.

Andrew is married to the former Paula Neugent. They have four children. Patrice, Johns Hopkins University "08, heads the Writers in Baltimore Schools organization. Tara, who attends Butler University, is in Indianapolis. Adeli and Colin are in grade school and middle school.

Mark B. Hutton is married to the former Susan Dody, formerly of Newton. They have four children. Tom Hutton, Georgetown University "09, is an investment banker in Washington, D.C. William, Francesca and Isabella attend high school.

Prue and John had just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, at the Petersen Family Funeral Home, 215 North main in Newton.

Visitation will be Friday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Petersen Funeral Home in Newton. Visit www.legacy.com/obituaries.asp.