James Bennett

James Michael Bennett, aka "Mike" Was born on May 24,1940 in Santa Cruz, California, to Herman Bennett and Lola Bennett (Miller). He died peacefully at his home in Alameda, California on December 5, 2010. He leaves behind three daughters, Sarah K. Bennett, Alice Mae Bennett and Michele Chavez, two sons, Ryan T. Bennett and David Jamieson, and their mothers. He also leaves his mother Lola Bennett, sister Lynne Bennett, niece Megan Day and her children Ella and Addison, as well as four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren in Texas. Mike spent most of his childhood in Alameda, and at various points resided in Watsonville, Sacramento, Chico, Berkeley, San Francisco, Healdsburg, Los Angeles, Oakland and Santa Rosa and Bangor, California. Mike was in many ways a "jack of all trades." He worked in real estate, owned and operated a small bookstore and print shop in Berkeley, held an AA degree from Santa Rosa JC in agriculture and worked as a vineyard manager in the Santa Rosa area. In addition, he worked in Los Angeles at An Claidheamh Soluis, a Celtic arts center where he promoted theater productions, and was also employed by the City of Berkeley as an assistant mental health clinician for the Homeless Outreach Team. His proudest accomplishment was his career as a drug and alcohol counselor at the Sonoma County jail where he used his life experiences and generous nature to help others. Long known as a radical thinker and an "outside agitator", he was involved with the 1960's Berkeley Free Speech Movement, United Farm Workers, and the movement against the Vietnam War. He was enthusiastic about Irish culture, literature, music and history, wholeheartedly supporting an end to British rule in Northern Ireland. Always a champion of the underdog and of the working class, he was a brilliant, charming, and spirited man. Though we will miss him terribly, we will carry his spirit within us, and are at peace knowing that he lived and died on his own terms. In the words of Dylan Thomas: "Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rage at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light". We love you, JMB. Memorial services are being planned. Please email the family for more information at bennett.family@rocketmail.com Donations in his memory can be made to The ARA First Step Home at www.arafirststephome.com or 1035 Haight St., SF CA 94117, c/o Dan Tobin, Executive Director.