Robert E. Bennett
Robert E. Bennett, 77, known as “Jack” all his life, passed away Thursday, June 25, 2009. He was born May 3, 1932, in a little logging camp in Wendling, Ore., to Pete Bennett and Isabelle McKay.
He served in the Korean War from 1950-53 with the 187th Army Regimental Combat Team, a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division known as the “Rakkasans.”
He tried civilian life for a while, but was drawn back to the military. He enlisted in the Air Force where he served with honor and distinction for 20 years earning many awards and medals, among them the Airman’s Medal for heroism.
He would spend 11 of those years as an elite para-rescue man on the Astronaut Recovery Team following it all over the world to cover it in case of an unscheduled splash down and to recover and give medical attention if needed. Later the para-rescue crew would be involved in Vietnam. He brought the first team into Vietnam to do recovery of downed pilots.
Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 1973, he enrolled in Lane Community College in Oregon, where he earned a 4.0 average to be on the President’s List, and maintained a 3.5 average and was inducted into the Honor Society along with all the young kids. While doing that he opened a storm window business using a space-age product, mylar, developed as a sun filter in space. His invention was later franchised in four states and Canada.
Retiring in Cape Coral in 1981, he soon fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a deep sea fishing business. He earned a merchant marine 100-ton captain’s license and ran a replica of Thomas Edison’s electric launch where he enjoyed meeting visitors from all over the world and always had something in common with them from his many travels.
He was a wonderful friend to all and he truly did believe no one was a stranger.
Surviving is his wife of 44 years, Patti; sisters, Dorothy Williams and Betty Vokcek; daughter, Rayne (Mike) Funk; son, Lane Morovics; grandchildren, Monica, Aaron and Violet; and great-grandchildren, Andrew and Hanna, all from Oregon; many nieces and nephews; wonderful and caring neighbors, Marlene, Richard, Wende and P.J.; buddies; and two special nieces, who he loved dearly as his own and were always there.
Special thanks to Hope Hospice.
Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. today with scripture services at Coral Ridge Funeral Home, 1630 S.W. Pine Island Road. Burial with full military honors will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Sarasota National Cemetery.
Visit: www.mem.com to leave written and voice acknowledgements and view a celebration of his life.
Arrangements by Coral Ridge Funeral Home.