William M. Bennett

William M. Bennett 1916 - 2008 PITTSFIELD William M. (Bill) Bennett, 92, of 43 Allendale Road, died Dec. 18th at home surrounded by his loving family. Born in Utica N.Y., on Sept. 17, 1916, the first of four sons and one daughter born to Mabel Ella Murphy Bennett and George William Bennett. He moved with his family to Ilion N.Y., where he attended school until having to drop out in the 10th grade when his father died at the age of 36 in 1931. To support his mother and siblings Bill went to work first on dairy farms and then in 1934 he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCCs) from which he was honorably discharged in 1937. Bill then went to work for Remington Rand where he was trained on the highly classified Norden Bombsite and was group leader and instructor on the manufacturing of the Norden Bombsite for the Air Force from 1941 to 1944. In 1944 he joined the US Maritime Service and was honorably discharged as a Warrant Officer and FCC licensed radio operator in 1945. He returned to work with Remington Rand first in Elmira, N.Y., then moving to Pulaski, N.Y., in 1946, where he drove school bus and was the owner and operator of Bill's Restaurant & Texaco Auto Service until his business was closed by the state highway reconstruction in 1949. Bill then drove tractor-trailer trucks for Western Express from Syracuse to Boston before going to work for General Electric in 1951. The following 28 years with GE included supervisory assignments in Syracuse, 14 months in Thule, Greenland on the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS), two years on the AF Dry Hill Base for work on the Air Force Air Weapons Control System (AWCS), four years in Oklahoma City (where he also passed the Real Estate Broker's exam for evening and weekend work), then 11 years in Pittsfield for Liaison Field Service with the Navy on the Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Program including extensive travel to naval bases state-side as well as in Spain, England, Scotland, Pearl Harbor and Guam. Bill retired from GE on Jan. 1, 1979. He worked for Ken's Bowl in Pittsfield part time until his GE retirement then full time until 1993 for a total of 24 years. After Ken's Bowl he worked part time night security for Blantyre Castle in Lenox for three years. Bill was a member of St. Francis Parish and a member of the GE Quarter Century & Pensioner Clubs. His life's main enjoyment was his wife, daughters and their families. He was an avid hunter and enjoyed fishing, boating and bowling. Bill leaves his wife of nearly 57 years, the former Ruth I. Davis from Pulaski, N.Y.; four daughters & son-in-laws - Sally & Ed Walden, Linda & George Croshier, Cathy & Bret McPhail, all of Pittsfield, and Traci & Matt Horton of Berkshire; 15 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE: There will be no calling hours. A private memorial service will be held at St. Mark Parish at the convenience of the family.