Shirley A. Bennett

1940 - 2018

It is with tremendous sadness that the Bennett and Pasquini families announce the passing of Shirley Ann (Pasquini) Bennett on December 20, 2018. She fought a brief but courageous battle with pancreatic cancer and, regrettably, slipped away far too soon. A native of Sacramento, Shirley was born on July 14, 1940 to Dominic and Leda (Micheli) Pasquini and lived her entire life in Sacramento, attending Holy Angels School, St. Francis High School and graduated from Bishop Armstrong High School in 1958. From there she attended Sacramento City College where she graduated with an Associate of Arts degree. She continued her education, while working for Hancock Oil Company in West Sacramento. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at CSU, Sacramento and began a new career as a teacher with the North Sacramento School District where she taught in several schools for 33 years. Shirley met the love of her life, LeRoy (Lee) Bennett, at work, but they really connected on a date to the Music Circus in the summer of 1966. After dating for two years, they decided on an Italian wedding and made arrangements to be married in Lucca, Italy, in the Church of San Michele, the same church where Shirley's maternal grandparents were married. They had a beautiful Italian wedding, with family present, and traveled through Europe and Spain on their honeymoon. After they both retired in 1999 and 2002, they began enjoying life as traveling seniors, making more than a dozen trips to Italy, traveling from the South to the North and every place in between. They loved going to off the beaten path places where most travelers never venture. Retirement life for the Bennett's was wonderful. They had a special Yin and Yang relationship that worked well for them, and if you saw one, you almost always saw the other nearby. They truly enjoyed each other's company. When they weren't traveling internationally, or visiting their sons in Texas or Georgia, they were enjoying the rest of the U.S. Their last trip was to Lake Como, Italy for their youngest son's wedding. Lee and Shirley were married for 50 years and celebrated that major milestone last August at an anniversary party with family members and 100 of their closest friends, some of whom were Shirley's childhood friends of 60 and 70 years. Shirley was active in a number of organizations, including the Jesuit Loyola Guild, the Italian Catholic Federation at St. Mary's, a 50-year member of the Dante Club's Ladies Auxiliary, and for many years, was a member of the St. Joseph's Social Club in Clarksburg. Possessed of a sharp wit and wonderful sense of humor, Shirley brought a joy to life that was infectious to all who knew her. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, mother-in-law, sister, "Nonni" to her grandchildren and loved by family and friends, all of whom miss her dearly. Shirley leaves behind her loving husband, Lee, her wonderful sons, Jason (Liz) and Justin (Lauren), her two grandchildren who she loved dearly, Leo and Janey, and her brother, Don Pasquini, with whom she had a very close relationship. Shirley's final words were "don't be sad for me. I have lived a fabulous and full 78 years. I had a husband, sons, a family, and many, many friends who loved me dearly. I traveled extensively, and I did some pretty amazing things in my life. Now it is time to let me go". She ended by saying "Cio' che Dio vuole, io voglio", meaning "Whatever God wants, I want". The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff at Eskaton Village Skilled Nursing Facility for the outstanding and compassionate care provided to Shirley during the final stage of her life. Relatives and friends are invited to services that will include a Rosary vigil on Friday 12/28, at 7:00 p.m. at Saint Mary's Cemetery and Funeral Center, 6509 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento, CA 95820, followed by a funeral Mass on Saturday, 12/29 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 5057 Cottage Way, Carmichael, CA 95608. A reception will follow at the Dante Club, 2330 Fair Oaks Blvd, Sacramento 95825. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Christian Brothers High School, Jesuit High School, or the SPCA.