Alfred W. Bennett

Lt. Col. Alfred W. Bennett of Leisure Village in Camarillo passed away peacefully on Friday, Feb. 10, 2006, with his family by his bedside.

Unmistakenly Manhattan born and bred, Bennett, a graduate of Cornell University (class of 1933), spent most of his working life as a chemist with, as he proudly put it, "The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co.," better known to New Yorkers as the "A & P."

Al Bennett was commissioned second lieutenant of the United States Reserves after four years in ROTC at Cornell University and was called to active duty March 2, 1942. He was discharged May 17, 1946. He retired from the U.S. Army Reserves after 28 years as lieutenant colonel. Patriotic and proud, he flew the American Flag in front of his home in Village 25 on all important holidays.

Over the years, as a resident of Leisure Village, Al Bennett served two years on the association board, one year as its president.

Al also served as emergency services coordinator for Village 25 and for five years as ombudsman for the community. It was in the role as ombudsman that Bennett personally received the most satisfaction, helping neighbors save problems.

Al enlivened open board meetings with his often entertaining and always sincere narratives with a New York flavor about how he and his staff helped yet another Leisure Village neighbor be a better neighbor in the community. He led by example.

Once, Al arrived home late in the evening to find a woman resident aimlessly walking, frightened and lost. He walked her patiently from neighborhood to neighborhood in Leisure Village until she recognized her own neighborhood and was safely in her home. He extended his caring to many in need.

As a lover of classical music from Mozart to Puccini, Al ushered at the Metropolitan Opera while attending DeWitt High School, so he could attend performances for free on Saturday mornings during the Depression. Until he became ill, on Saturday mornings he would sit in his favorite rocker, warmed by the sun that filtered through the corner window, and he would continue to listen faithfully to the Metropolitan broadcasts on his Bose radio.

A voracious reader with wide-ranging interests, his bookshelves contained John Grisham and Jonathan Kellerman next to his Shakespeare and biographies of Beethoven and Mozart.

Al Bennett made friends wherever he traveled. Whether dining on the cruise ship, touring South American capitals or wandering in European cities, people were drawn to his genial temperment, his smile and his intellectual curiosity.

He was the beloved husband of the late Natalie Molho Bennett for 54 years; the much beloved father of Bruce F. Bennett, Kathe S. Mason and June C. Palmer; as well as the devoted grandpa to Rebecca and Sara Mason and Juliet and Brian Palmer; and cherished great-grandfather to Jose and Estrella Gonzales.

He was predeceased by his longtime companion, RoseMary De Carlo.

A funeral service for Alfred W. Bennett was held Monday, Feb. 13 at Mount Sinai Memorial Parks in Los Angeles, where he was eulogized by his family and laid to rest next to his loving wife, Natalie, on the hillside that overlooks the valley and the mountains.