Orange County Register, The (Santa Ana, CA) - February 7, 1991
Deceased Name: School booster remembered
Dyer Bennett , Brea- Olinda sports and academics fan for 65 years, dies
Dyer Bennett , who died Saturday of pneumonia at age 82, was Brea Olinda High School's ultimate sports fan.
During his 65 years in Brea, Bennett was a fixture at Brea Olinda games, adorned in a green Brea boosters jacket. Bennett once estimated he had seen more than 600 football and 1,000 basketball games.
From the moment he walked into the gym or stadium, he was greeted by alumni, parents and coaches, who went out of their way to shake hands and ask how he was doing.
"He was 'Mr. Brea,' " said Carol Israel, a longtime friend who is employed at Brea Olinda. "He really cared about the school and the kids."
Bennett 's affiliation started almost immediately after he moved to Brea from Arkansas in 1926.
One of his first jobs was with a construction crew that finished building the town's new high school.
During that time, he met his wife-to-be, Edith, a junior at Brea Olinda.
Because they shared an interest in sports, many of their dates were spent watching the school's athletic teams. Bennett married Edith, and their marriage lasted until her death in 1978.
Bennett once said his favorite sport was baseball, in which he excelled during high school, but he enjoyed watching them all.
And although he seldom admitted it, he seemed to prefer girls sports.
"They've (girls sports) changed so much since I first started watching them," he said in a 1987 interview. "The players are so good. They do some things which I never thought I'd see them do."
After Edith died, Bennett set up a scholarship in her name for a female athlete. A few years later, he set up a scholarship in his name for a male athlete.
Former boys basketball coach Rick Jones, a friend, said that Bennett gained a measure of fame for his love of athletics and kids.
"He was concerned about every kid at the school," Jones said. "He stressed academics as much as athletics. About 10 years ago, I brought him into my World History class to talk about the Depression.
"He had such vivid memories, the kids loved it. Other teachers did the same thing.
"And he loved Brea. As far as he was concerned, there wasn't anywhere else to live."
Bennett is survived by a sister.
The family asked that any donations be sent to the Edith and Dyer Bennett Scholarships, First Interstate Bank, 685 S. Brea Blvd.
Orange County Register, The (Santa Ana, CA)
Date: February 7, 1991
Edition: ZONE 1
Page: 04
Record Number: OCR316093
Copyright (c) 1991 The Orange County Register
Deceased Name: School booster remembered
Dyer Bennett , Brea- Olinda sports and academics fan for 65 years, dies
Dyer Bennett , who died Saturday of pneumonia at age 82, was Brea Olinda High School's ultimate sports fan.
During his 65 years in Brea, Bennett was a fixture at Brea Olinda games, adorned in a green Brea boosters jacket. Bennett once estimated he had seen more than 600 football and 1,000 basketball games.
From the moment he walked into the gym or stadium, he was greeted by alumni, parents and coaches, who went out of their way to shake hands and ask how he was doing.
"He was 'Mr. Brea,' " said Carol Israel, a longtime friend who is employed at Brea Olinda. "He really cared about the school and the kids."
Bennett 's affiliation started almost immediately after he moved to Brea from Arkansas in 1926.
One of his first jobs was with a construction crew that finished building the town's new high school.
During that time, he met his wife-to-be, Edith, a junior at Brea Olinda.
Because they shared an interest in sports, many of their dates were spent watching the school's athletic teams. Bennett married Edith, and their marriage lasted until her death in 1978.
Bennett once said his favorite sport was baseball, in which he excelled during high school, but he enjoyed watching them all.
And although he seldom admitted it, he seemed to prefer girls sports.
"They've (girls sports) changed so much since I first started watching them," he said in a 1987 interview. "The players are so good. They do some things which I never thought I'd see them do."
After Edith died, Bennett set up a scholarship in her name for a female athlete. A few years later, he set up a scholarship in his name for a male athlete.
Former boys basketball coach Rick Jones, a friend, said that Bennett gained a measure of fame for his love of athletics and kids.
"He was concerned about every kid at the school," Jones said. "He stressed academics as much as athletics. About 10 years ago, I brought him into my World History class to talk about the Depression.
"He had such vivid memories, the kids loved it. Other teachers did the same thing.
"And he loved Brea. As far as he was concerned, there wasn't anywhere else to live."
Bennett is survived by a sister.
The family asked that any donations be sent to the Edith and Dyer Bennett Scholarships, First Interstate Bank, 685 S. Brea Blvd.
Orange County Register, The (Santa Ana, CA)
Date: February 7, 1991
Edition: ZONE 1
Page: 04
Record Number: OCR316093
Copyright (c) 1991 The Orange County Register
Orange County Register, The (Santa Ana, CA) - February 7, 1991
Deceased Name: School booster remembered
Dyer Bennett , Brea- Olinda sports and academics fan for 65 years, dies
Dyer Bennett , who died Saturday of pneumonia at age 82, was Brea Olinda High School's ultimate sports fan.
During his 65 years in Brea, Bennett was a fixture at Brea Olinda games, adorned in a green Brea boosters jacket. Bennett once estimated he had seen more than 600 football and 1,000 basketball games.
From the moment he walked into the gym or stadium, he was greeted by alumni, parents and coaches, who went out of their way to shake hands and ask how he was doing.
"He was 'Mr. Brea,' " said Carol Israel, a longtime friend who is employed at Brea Olinda. "He really cared about the school and the kids."
Bennett 's affiliation started almost immediately after he moved to Brea from Arkansas in 1926.
One of his first jobs was with a construction crew that finished building the town's new high school.
During that time, he met his wife-to-be, Edith, a junior at Brea Olinda.
Because they shared an interest in sports, many of their dates were spent watching the school's athletic teams. Bennett married Edith, and their marriage lasted until her death in 1978.
Bennett once said his favorite sport was baseball, in which he excelled during high school, but he enjoyed watching them all.
And although he seldom admitted it, he seemed to prefer girls sports.
"They've (girls sports) changed so much since I first started watching them," he said in a 1987 interview. "The players are so good. They do some things which I never thought I'd see them do."
After Edith died, Bennett set up a scholarship in her name for a female athlete. A few years later, he set up a scholarship in his name for a male athlete.
Former boys basketball coach Rick Jones, a friend, said that Bennett gained a measure of fame for his love of athletics and kids.
"He was concerned about every kid at the school," Jones said. "He stressed academics as much as athletics. About 10 years ago, I brought him into my World History class to talk about the Depression.
"He had such vivid memories, the kids loved it. Other teachers did the same thing.
"And he loved Brea. As far as he was concerned, there wasn't anywhere else to live."
Bennett is survived by a sister.
The family asked that any donations be sent to the Edith and Dyer Bennett Scholarships, First Interstate Bank, 685 S. Brea Blvd.
Orange County Register, The (Santa Ana, CA)
Date: February 7, 1991
Edition: ZONE 1
Page: 04
Record Number: OCR316093
Copyright (c) 1991 The Orange County Register
Deceased Name: School booster remembered
Dyer Bennett , Brea- Olinda sports and academics fan for 65 years, dies
Dyer Bennett , who died Saturday of pneumonia at age 82, was Brea Olinda High School's ultimate sports fan.
During his 65 years in Brea, Bennett was a fixture at Brea Olinda games, adorned in a green Brea boosters jacket. Bennett once estimated he had seen more than 600 football and 1,000 basketball games.
From the moment he walked into the gym or stadium, he was greeted by alumni, parents and coaches, who went out of their way to shake hands and ask how he was doing.
"He was 'Mr. Brea,' " said Carol Israel, a longtime friend who is employed at Brea Olinda. "He really cared about the school and the kids."
Bennett 's affiliation started almost immediately after he moved to Brea from Arkansas in 1926.
One of his first jobs was with a construction crew that finished building the town's new high school.
During that time, he met his wife-to-be, Edith, a junior at Brea Olinda.
Because they shared an interest in sports, many of their dates were spent watching the school's athletic teams. Bennett married Edith, and their marriage lasted until her death in 1978.
Bennett once said his favorite sport was baseball, in which he excelled during high school, but he enjoyed watching them all.
And although he seldom admitted it, he seemed to prefer girls sports.
"They've (girls sports) changed so much since I first started watching them," he said in a 1987 interview. "The players are so good. They do some things which I never thought I'd see them do."
After Edith died, Bennett set up a scholarship in her name for a female athlete. A few years later, he set up a scholarship in his name for a male athlete.
Former boys basketball coach Rick Jones, a friend, said that Bennett gained a measure of fame for his love of athletics and kids.
"He was concerned about every kid at the school," Jones said. "He stressed academics as much as athletics. About 10 years ago, I brought him into my World History class to talk about the Depression.
"He had such vivid memories, the kids loved it. Other teachers did the same thing.
"And he loved Brea. As far as he was concerned, there wasn't anywhere else to live."
Bennett is survived by a sister.
The family asked that any donations be sent to the Edith and Dyer Bennett Scholarships, First Interstate Bank, 685 S. Brea Blvd.
Orange County Register, The (Santa Ana, CA)
Date: February 7, 1991
Edition: ZONE 1
Page: 04
Record Number: OCR316093
Copyright (c) 1991 The Orange County Register
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