Donald Bement "Don" Bement

1935 - 2013

Donald Bryon Bement died unexpectedly on December 8, 2013 at his home with his loving wife of 48 years, Susan, at his side. Don was born in Middletown to Albert N. and Alice (Murphy) Bement on November 8, 1935 and grew up in Middletown, attending Central School and Middletown High School graduating in 1953. He was employed by First National Stores for 17 years and served in the U.S. Army in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1968 he joined Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company retiring as the Nuclear Records Supervisor in 1995. He met his wife, Susan Johnson Bement, at the First National Grocery Store in Portland in 1961 and they were married in 1965. They built a house on the site of the home where Susan grew up in Haddam Neck and lived there happily until his death. Don was an accomplished artist working mostly in oils on canvas. He loved the outdoors, either working in the yard, hiking, observing animals in nature, looking for subjects to paint or checking out national parks and other beautiful natural areas. He was a kind and gentle person who loved to make people laugh. Besides his wife, Susan, Don left behind his twin sister, Patricia Anderson, her husband, Carl, of Durham, his brother Albert K. Bement of South Windsor, his brother-in-law, Norman E. Johnson, his wife, Rinette, of Storrs, His nephews, Glenn Anderson, his wife, Kelly of Durham, Kenneth Anderson, his wife, Robin, of Durham, Carl A. Anderson, his wife, Heather of Cromwell, his nieces Doreen Johnson and her husband John Tomanelli of Marlborough, Jennifer Johnson of Kingfield Maine, 9 great-nieces and nephews, his exteded family of McCutcheon and Johnson cousins whom he was very fond of along with many wonderful friends and neighbors, and his beloved cats who were his constant companions at home. A memorial service will be held at Rock Landing Cemetery at the convenience of the family in the spring. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to CATALES of Middletown, P.O. Box901, Middletown, CT 06457 or the Haddam Neck Volunteer Fire Department, 17 Rock Landing Road, Haddam Neck, CT 06424.