Richard Dean Bennett

June 11, 1942 - Sept 23, 2011

Granger - Richard D. Bennett, 69, passed away at 4:19 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011 in Memorial  Hospital.

He had suffered  an aneurysm  and subsequently was involved  in a motorcycle accident.  He received the best of care during his stay at Memorial  Hospital  ICU. He was surrounded by his loving family at the time of his passing.

Richard was born on June 11, 1942 in South Whitley, IN to the late Clifford E. and Dorothy L.Shaffer)  Bennett.  On July 18, 1964,

Richard married Virginia (Ruszkowski). Also surviving  are son, Jeffrey (Janice) Bennett of Exton, PA; daughter,  Jennifer (Terry)  Grytza of Huntley, IL; grandchildren, Grant and Luke Grytza and Julia and J.R. Bennett;  brother, Robert (Kay) Bennett of Granger;  nieces, Natalie  (Rev. Brian) Holt of Clay City, IN, and Beth Bennett of Mishawaka; and nephew,  Michael(Rebecca)  Bennett of Bluffton, SC.

Richard graduated from John Adams High School in 1961. He was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve Corp. He was then a machinist with South Bend Screw Products. He took an apprenticeship through Ivy Tech and became a wood pattern maker for Garvey Pattern. In 1980, he started B & B Specialties Inc., a model airplane parts company that he loved and continued to work on until his final day. His expertise and products have been used by modelers worldwide.  He was a member of the Michiana Corvette Club, H.O.G. (The Harley Owners Group of Elkhart), and a lifetime member of Tri Valley R.C. Club, AMA, and IMAA.

He recently took up bicycling with his friends, Carl Lehner and Merlin Whitmer.  Together with Virginia they became Florida snowbirds. He will be surly missed by his two best friends, Tom Fields and Dennis LaMont. He loved spending time with his grandchildren. He lived life to the fullest right up to the final day. He will be missed by all.

Visitation will be 2:00pm to 8:00pm on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 in ST. JOSEPH  FUNERAL  HOME, 824 S. Mayflower  Rd. A Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 in the Funeral Home. Burial will follow in St.Joseph Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the "Bennett Memorial Scholarship Fund". Condolences for the family may be made at www.sjfh.net.

25th reunion memory book entry

30th reunion memory book entry

Published in the South Bend Tribune on September 26, 2011.

03/29/2024 DEC

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/southbendtribune/name/richard-bennett-obituary?id=7664791