Kristine Newman Bennett

Kristine Newman Bennett passed away unexpectedly at her summer home in Blowing Rock, NC on June 29, 2024 at the age of 72.

She was born in Spokane, WA and throughout her life, many summers were spent with family and friends at Priest Lake, ID, a place near and dear to her heart.

She attended schools in Bellevue, WA, Priest Lake, ID, Reno, NV, Moses Lake, WA, Wilbraham, MA, and Dallas, TX before arriving in Boone, NC in 1969 where she attended Watauga High School her senior year. She went on to Montreat-Anderson College in Montreat, NC and Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.

She began a wonderful career as an educator which took her to many parts of the world. Starting as a second grade teacher at Gamewell Elementary in Caldwell County, NC, she was soon off to Cairo, Egypt to teach second grade at Cairo American College for eleven years. While there she enjoyed starring in many theatrical performances with the Maadi Community Players, making friends and traveling. After returning to Boone, she married Dr. Brian Bennett and completed a Master's Degree in Educational Administration at ASU. She and husband Brian were soon off to Zagreb, Croatia during the Balkan Wars where she worked as the K-4 Resource Teacher at the American International School while Brian lectured at the Institute for Anthropological Research. They returned to Boone and Kristine completed a Master's Degree in Library Science at ASU. After Brian's retirement from Appalachian State University, they were off to Izmir, Turkey where she held the position of library media specialist at American Collegiate Institute. From there she continued to serve as a library media specialist at Seoul International School, Seoul, South Korea and then moved back to the states as a library media specialist at Aspen Elementary, Los Alamos, NM.

After retiring, she and her husband divided their time between homes in Blowing Rock, NC and the Stonecrest Community in Summerfield, FL where countless new friends were made in the Theater Guild, craft club, and Zumba. World travel adventures remained very much a part of her life during retirement.

Kristine is survived by her loving husband Dr. Brian Bennett of the Stonecrest Community, Summerfield, FL and Blowing Rock, NC. His family includes daughter Sabrina Hardenbergh of Carbondale, IL; son Langdon Bennett of Los Alamos, NM and granddaughters Ashlynn, Jillian, and Kaitlin; and son Carey Bennett (Jill) of Hickory, NC. Kristine's family includes sister Alice Newman of Walla Walla, WA; brother Robert Newman (Deborah) of Barboursville, VA; and nephew Charles Newman (Bethany) of Blacksburg, VA.
She was preceded in death by her parents Richard Willis Newman and Dr. Frances Mayrelee Fallquist Newman.

Kristine was a lovely woman who will be fondly remembered and missed by all who knew her.

Her final wish was to be returned to Priest Lake, ID, the place near and dear to her heart.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, August 8 between 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Boone, NC to remember Kristine and share stories with each other about a life well lived.
A memorial gathering will also be scheduled this Fall for friends in the Stonecrest Community, Summerfield, FL.

In recognition of Kristine's lifelong love and support of stray cats, like Miss Whiskers, memorial donations can be made to:
The Humane Society
https://www.humanesociety.org/how-you-can-help