Lawrence F. Bennett

1928 - 2016

Lawrence F. Bennett 1928 - 2016
Lawrence F. Bennett, 88, of Springfield, passed on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 2:03 p.m. He was born on January 19, 1928 in Youngstown, Ohio, the son of Lawrence Barber and Margaret (Miner) Bennett. He and his wife, Carolyn, were married on June 15, 1956 and recently celebrated their 60th anniversary.
Larry served in the Air Force during WWII as a Radar Operator in the Berlin Airlift. After the war, he returned to Columbus, Ohio to help take care of his brother and began working on the railroad, all the live-long day, until 1957 when he was accepted into the College of Dentistry at Ohio State University. He graduated from Ohio State in 1964 with a D.D.S. degree, followed by getting his Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan in 1968. He was a loyal Ohio State Buckeye fan.
He believed that public service represented some of the best virtues that America stood for. He began his career in Sargent Shriver's Head Start program launching school educational programs and a dental clinic for indigent children for the City of Columbus. In 1968, he moved his family to Springfield, Illinois to assume the newly created Director of Continuing Education with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). In 1971, he accepted the Assistant to the Chief of IDPH, a position that he held until 1977 when he resigned in protest of the Governor's decision to pull back on Illinois' commitment to provide dental care to those in need.
He opened a private practice in 1979 that served the patients of Springfield's north side until his retirement in 2007. During that time, he was an Assistant Professor at SIU's School of Dental Medicine, launched a self-sustaining, volunteer-led dental program for the Springfield Department of Public Health that became a model for cities across the country, was the Comprehensive Program Reviewer of Head Start programs for Region V, served as the Advisor to Springfield's Public Health Director, was a founding member of the Health Advisory Committee of the Springfield Urban League, and was a lifelong member of the G.V. Black Dental Society. Throughout his career, his wife, Carolyn, was the driving force behind his success - typing all of his papers, managing his office and cheering him on.
Larry was able to spend his final days receiving incredible love and care in his daughter's home in St. Louis, with the help of Crossroads Hospice, surrounded by family and friends. Although he was a Cardinals fan, he was thrilled to live long enough to see the Cubs finally win the World Series.
Larry Bennett was a kind man and a great dad. He believed in fairness, equality and would want his life to be an example of the importance and joy of living a life of service. He would also tell you that if you ignore your teeth, they will go away. So floss and brush every day and see your dentist on a regular basis.
Larry was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Ann (Emmons) Bennett, who died in August. He is survived by two sons, Jim (husband, Terry Vanden Hoek) of Chicago and John Bennett of Springfield; one daughter, Jeri (husband, Bob) Drummond of Wildwood, MO; three grandchildren, Bobby, Julia, and Nicholas Drummond; one brother, Walter (wife, Alice) of Columbus, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation and Funeral: Family will receive friends from 11:15 a.m. until the time of the funeral at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, November 21st at Hope Presbyterian Church, 2211 Wabash Avenue, Springfield; Rev. Chuck Goodman officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Camp Butler National Cemetery.
In honor of Larry's love of books and life-long learning, memorial contributions may be made to Friends of Lincoln Library, c/o Lincoln Library, 326 South 7th Street, Springfield, IL 62701.
The family of Lawrence F. Bennett is being served by Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield.
Please visit butlerfuneralhomes.com to offer your condolences.