1930 CIU Graduate with the Lord

1930 CIU Graduate with the Lord

Virginia Bendetti

Virginia Bendetti

She was quite possibly the oldest living person to graduate from Columbia International University. Virginia White Bendetti, a 1930 graduate of CIU, passed away on Nov. 28 in California. She was 99 years old.

In 1928, Bendetti made the cross-country trip from her home in Los Angeles to South Carolina to attend CIU, then called Columbia Bible College (CBC). She was referred to CBC by her former baby-sitter, Joy Ridderhof, one of CBC's first graduates. Bendetti served for 40 years with Gospel Recordings, a ministry founded by Ridderhof. Gospel Recordings provides audio resources for evangelism and Bible teaching around the world.

The Bendetti family says a memorial service will be held in January.