Ray Bennett

BENNETT

Rev. Raymond E.



Rev. Raymond E. Bennett better known as Pastor Ray, of Temperance, MI went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, August 24, 2013. He was 85 years old. He has lived the last eleven months at Aspen Grove

Assisted Living in Lambertville, MI.

He was born on April 15, 1928 in Nashville, MI to

Leeland and Frances (Mote) Bennett. He graduated from Hastings High School, in Hastings, MI in 1946. He graduated from Houghton College, Houghton, New York in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in theology. He married Marie Root on June 9, 1950. They celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in 2013.

Raymond was an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Church. He began his first pastorate in Owosso, MI in 1950. He also served as pastor at the following Wesleyan churches in Michigan: Rives Junction, North Irving, Talmadge, and Deland. He also taught fifth grade at Bedford Public Schools for 28 years. While teaching at Bedford he was instrumental in establishing the Outdoor Science Camp. He was also very active in many positions at the Whiteford Wesleyan Church in Ottawa Lake, MI from 1972 to 1992. He served on the church board, taught Sunday School, and took the senior citizens on many trips. After retiring from teaching, he

became Associate Pastor at Mayfair Plymouth Congregational Church in Toledo, OH for 14 years retiring in 2007. At that time Ray was

appointed Pastor Emeritus at Mayfair Plymouth Congregational Church. He assisted in preaching, led bible studies, and made hospital calls. He also served as treasurer and board member of the Toledo Gospel Rescue Missions for over thirty years.

Raymond loved to minister to the people of his community on a one on one basis. He loved to tell them of the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even when dealing with Parkinson's and dementia, he found a way to minister to those around them. When at Aspen Grove he would pray and say words of encouragement to other residents and staff. We would like to thank the staff of

Aspen Grove and Hospice of Northwest Ohio for their loving and compassionate care of "Pastor Ray".

He was preceded in death by his parents. He leaves behind to cherish his memories his wife of 63 years Marie; three children, Stephen (Patty) Bennett, Katherine (Gary) Holcomb, Pamela (Virgil) Crots; eight grandchildren, Russell Bennett, and Katelyn (T.J.) Bennett Decker; Jeffrey (Jenn), Stephen, Daniel, David, and Joy Holcomb; and Kevin(Jessica) Crots; and 9.5 great-grandchildren, Ethan, Zachary, Amia, Addison, Jace, Annalise, Sarah,

Benjamin, Levi, and Baby Crots; his brother, Alton (Mae) Bennett of Farmington, MI and his sister, Norma (Bernard) Weeks of Hastings, MI.

Visitation will take place at Urbanski's Bedford Funeral Chapel, 8300 Lewis Ave., Temperance, MI on Thursday, August 29, 2013 from 2 pm to 8 pm. A celebration of Pastor Ray's life will be on Friday, August 30, 2013 with visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. at the Whiteford Wesleyan Church, 10285 Sylvania-Petersburg Rd., Ottawa Lake, MI with Pastor Dave Claassen of Mayfair Plymouth Congregational Church, Toledo, OH officiating. Burial will follow at Whiteford Union Cemetery.

Donations in Ray's memory may be made to Toledo

Gospel Rescue Mission, 1917 Jefferson Ave., Toledo, OH, 43604, Mayfair Plymouth Congregational Church, Bennett Road, Toledo, OH, or Hospice of Northwest Ohio, Perrysburg, OH.

Online condolences may be shared at

www.bedfordfuneralchapel.com.