Robert J. Bennett

1933 - 2023

ROBERT J. BENNETT

August 6, 1933 December 27, 2023

Robert Jerome Bennett died on December 27, 2023, after a short illness. He was born on August 6, 1933, in Wheaton, Kansas, the third of John and Eva Bennett's six children. The eldest son, he helped his dad farm the family's 40 acres until he left Kansas to join the United States Navy. He was a proud veteran of the Korean conflict, during which he was stationed at Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan, serving as a firefighter.

When he returned stateside, he was stationed at Moffett Field in the bay area. He and a Navy buddy attended a dance where they met sisters. Both couples eventually married, with Bob and Ellen marrying on August 19, 1956.

When Bob left the Navy, he became the first in his family to attend college. He received his AA from College of San Mateo, and his BA and MA in Business Education from San Jose State University. He took his first job teaching Business at East Bakersfield High School in Bakersfield, California. At East High, he coached the Frosh-Soph baseball team. After East High, he moved to Foothill High School and then to the Bakersfield Adult School. Despite his prediction he would only stay a year or two in Bakersfield before moving on, he retired from the Kern High School District after 33 years of service. At his retirement, he told the KHSD board, Bakersfield has been good to me.

After retirement, Bob and Ellen lived for a time in Stallion Springs where they made life-long friends and Bob played his favorite sportgolfas often as he could. After a few years, they landed at the Solera community in the Rio Bravo area where they again made many friends. They traveledto Alaska, the Panama Canal Zone, the Caribbean, London, the Mississippi River, and to many National Parks. Bob was an avid woodworker and photographer and loved a good martinialways ginand most of the time on the rocks.

Bob is survived by his wife of over 67 years, Ellen; daughter, Catherine; son, Michael; brother, Charles and family; sister, Beatrice and family; and dozens of nephews and nieces and grand-nephews and grand-nieces. His grand dogs and grand cats miss him too. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Loretta and Cecelia, and his brother James.

There will be a celebration of life on January 20, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at The Grove at Solera at Kern Canyon Community Association. You'll need a gate code to enter, so call Ellen, Cathy, or Mike for the code.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a donation in his name to the Kern County Cancer Foundation or to your favorite charity.

www.bakersfield.com/obits