Donald Bennett

Donald W. Bennett

Mr. Donald W. Bennett, 75, of Waynesboro, Virginia, and formerly of Great Mills, Maryland, passed away at the University of Virginia Transitional Care Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Sunday, September 12, 2010, following an extended illness.

Mr. Bennett was born April 27, 1935, in Cobden, Illinois. He graduated from Anna-Jonesboro High School in 1953, and entered the United States Navy in October of that year. During his 22 year career, he served in various units of the Navy, concluding with a tour of duty at the Naval Aviation Integrated Logistics Center (NAILSC) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. He retired from active duty in 1975 as a Chief Aviation Electronics Technician, and he and his wife continued to make their home in Great Mills, Maryland. Following his military retirement, Mr. Bennett graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. He then worked for several contractor firms in support of Navy programs until his full retirement in 1996.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude Everett and Anna Foster Bennett; a son, David "Scott" Bennett; and two brothers, Henry and Allen Bennett.

Mr. Bennett is survived by his wife, Clara "Sandy" Bennett of Waynesboro; his daughter, Donna Wagner and her husband, Jim, of California, Maryland; four grandchildren, Valerie Amadio, James Shaw, Joshua Bennett, and Melissa Bennett; and three great-grandchildren, Marissa, Anthony, and Michael Amadio. He is also survived by two sisters, Helen Holderfield of Alto Pass, Illinois, and Sherry Sloan of Anna, Illinois; and one brother, Gary Bennett of Makanda, Illinois.

Following retirement, Mr. Bennett and his wife relocated in Staunton, Virginia, for a brief time before settling in Waynesboro in December of 1999.

Mr. Bennett's primary source of joy was spending time with his wife and family. In addition, he enjoyed working in his yard and garden, and he spent many evenings carving small figurines from a variety of uncommon and exotic woods.

Visitation for Mr. Bennett will be held at the Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes, 618 W. Main Street, Waynesboro, on Thursday, September 16, 2010, from 2:30 until 4 p.m., followed by a prayer service at 4 p.m. by Dr. Cynthia Long.

Inurnment will follow in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., at a later date will full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations and memorials be made to the Lutheran Family Services for Grief Counseling, 500 S. Wayne Ave., Waynesboro, VA 22980, Neuropathy Association, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 942, New York, NY 10165-0999, or the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, 22100 Gratiot Avenue, East Detroit, MI 48021-2227.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Waynesboro Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes and Crematory.

Family and friends are invited to sign the guest book and send condolences at www.reynoldshamrickfuneralhomes.com


This obituary was originally published in the News Virginian.