Richard “Dick” Allan Bennett

Richard Allan "Dick" Bennett, 88, passed away at his home in Overland Park, Kansas, on February 17, 2026, due to heart failure.

Born on November 6, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois, Dick was the son of William and Florence Schroeder Bennett, who preceded him in death. He grew up in the Chicagoland area and graduated from Taft High School. He then attended college at the Illinois Institute of Technology where he graduated with a B.S. degree in Food Engineering — launching a lifelong career in the food industry that literally added flavor to people's lives.

Dick served as a food technologist at Continental Foods, Carmel Kosher, McCormick Spice, Williams Foods, and Yost Foods. During his tenure at McCormick, he led the technical team that developed the flavoring for Cool Ranch Doritos — a creation that would become a wide-spread household favorite. He approached his work with diligence, creativity, and commitment.

He and his former wife of over 25 years, Becky, raised their two sons, Rich and David, for over a decade in Mundelein, Illinois. He was baptized as an adult at a Baptist church there in 1983. The following year, their family relocated to the Kansas City area, where he would build the next chapter of his life. He later lived in Ohio and on 1/11/11, Dick married Ha Crick, his beloved wife of 15 years. They moved to Vietnam to be with Ha's family for several years before relocating back to Kansas City. In recent years, they were part of the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Prairie Village.

Dick loved traveling, savoring and preparing gourmet food, beautiful cars, and gathering around a game table — especially for backgammon — where his strategic mind and competitive spirit were always evident. He also loved ice cream, which was the last thing he ate the night before he passed, and his sons have fond memories of their dad taking them for ice cream as kids. He was a diligent worker and an enduring optimist, consistently striving to see the positive side of life. His steady presence, thoughtful perspective, and quiet humor will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his wife, Ha Crick Bennett; his sons, Rich Bennett (and Stephanie) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; David Bennett (and Kelsey) of Kansas City, Missouri; the mother of his children, Becky Kapust Lillicotch; and grandchildren Parker and Macy Bennett, and Basil and Charlie Freeling.

A memorial service will be held at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Prairie Village at 9100 Mission Rd, Prairie Village on Friday at 11am.