Richard C. Bennett

1930 - 2018

Richard C. Bennett

Great Falls - Richard C. (Dick) Bennett passed away peacefully on December 21, 2018 at Highgate Senior Living in Great Falls.

Rosary service will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. The funeral Mass will be Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church. The 65th year of Joan and Dick's wedding anniversary. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Dick was born in 1930 to Carroll and Josephine Bennett. He attended St. Mary's in Great Falls, St Thomas Boarding School in Minneapolis and received his Bachelor of Business in Accounting from Gonzaga University where he met his future wife Joan Rowley. He was an enthusiastic salesman and while serving out his Army ROTC commitment at Boston Army Base, he convinced Joan to move to Boston with a marriage proposal. Not long after they married, they moved back to Great Falls so he could join his father in running Bennett Motors.

Dick's passion and enthusiasm for all people and projects was obvious to everyone who knew him. Even in his final years he was proud to be able to walk (race) in the Ice Breaker One Mile and chided Highgate staff who took him out walking sometimes up to four times a day. Although he was unable to drive the last few years, he enthusiastically coerced his friends and family to take him to attend daily Mass, the Secular Franciscan Order Prayer Meetings, or to serve with the St. Dismas Prison Ministry.

His family was always his first priority. Dick and Joan made weekends memorable, either skiing up at Showdown or camping in the Little Belts. He and Joan also made family gatherings with first, second and third cousins a priority. After he retired, he enjoyed shuttling his grandchildren to their after-school activities.

While owning and managing his successful automobile dealership, Bennett Motors, for 40 years, every employee became family to him as he often offered unsolicited paternal advice to anyone who would accept his wisdom. During the years he worked with his father, Carroll and subsequently his daughter Cari, he added GMC and Subaru franchises to the Pontiac franchise. In later years as a corporate advisor, he oversaw the addition of Budget Rental Car, Buick, Nissan, Hyundai and VW franchises and the purchase of additional downtown property to accommodate those franchises.

Dick, along with Joan, was committed to serving others. They were actively involved and supported St. Vincent de Paul ministries, St. Martin de Porres, Holy Spirit Catholic Church and the Poor Clares of Montana. Additionally, Dick was active in the Ancient Order of the Hibernians and in the fraternal orders of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks and Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed the life-long friendships he maintained with other members of the Great Falls Lions Club, Round Lot Investment Club, Sons of Pioneers, the Montana Auto Dealers Association, Lewis and Clark Portage Route Chapter, the Skunk Wagon Car Club and Cascade County Democratic Central Committee.

Dick valued and actively supported education for his children, employees and the community. In the 70's when he was serving on the Montana Board of Education at the appointment of Governor Thomas Judge, he was instrumental in legislation to appropriate funds to build a vocational technical center at what is now the Great Falls College, MSU. In the 90's he served on the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind Foundation Board.

In addition to his civic and family commitments, Dick was an avid reader; he loved Montana history, and enjoyed traipsing around and performing consistent forestry management at his silver mining claims near Neihart and Hughesville.

Dick is survived by his six children and their spouses, Kathleen Bennett and Jeff Van Wychen, Peggy and Kevin Lawson, Laura Bennett MD and Ron Walters DVM, Cari and Jim Yturri MD, Betsy and David Eickhoff, Charlie and Jamie Bennett; grandchildren Sarah Lawson Srock MD and Ian Srock, Melissa Lawson, Seth, Josie and Maida Walters, Ben and Catherine Yturri, Rachel, Maija, Daniel and Jacob Eickhoff. He is also survived by his brother Michael J. Bennett SJ; sisters Joanne Waldenberg and her husband Vern, Margaret Bennett CHM, Mary Louise Gallagher; and his brother-in-law, Dan Rowley and his wife Karen.

Memorials in Dick's name can be made to the Poor Clares of Montana, 3020 18th Avenue South, Great Falls, MT 59405; Holy Spirit Parish, 201 44th Street South, Great Falls, MT 59405; Ursuline Center Historical Foundation, 2300 Central Avenue, Great Falls, MT 59401; or St. Ann's Cathedral Building Fund, 715 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401.

Dick and his family appreciate the support and care provided by the loving staff at Highgate Assisted Living, his personal care givers Stephanie and Karen, Hospice home care and from the staff at Brookdale Senior Living.

Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.SchniderFuneralHome.com.