Aberdeen - Mass of Christian Burial for James Franklin Bennett, 86, of Aberdeen, will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 10, 2006, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Aberdeen. Father Gregory Tschakert will be officiating. Burial will be 2 p.m. Monday at St. Bernard's Catholic Cemetery. Redfield, with military honors. Schriver's Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. There will be a Liturgical Wake Service followed by a Knights of Columbus Rosary 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 9, 2006, at Schriver's Memorial Mortuary. Visitation will be 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at the mortuary and one hour prior to the funeral Mass Monday at the church. Jim passed away Thursday, April 6, 2006, at the Aberdeen Living Center where he had been a resident for a short time due to a brief illness. James Franklin Bennett was born March 25, 1920, to George "Frank" and Ida (Osborn) Bennett at Jasper, Minn. At a young age, he moved with his family to Tulare, S.D. The family later moved to Redfield, S.D., where he graduated from Redfield High School in 1939. After high school, Jim joined the CCC and worked in the Black Hills on the Pactola Dam and fighting forest fires. He later worked for the Boeing Aircraft Corporation until he joined the Army Air Corps in 1942. Jim was assigned to the 823rd Bombardment Squadron, 38th Bombardment Group, 5th Air Force, and served in the Pacific Theater throughout the war. His group started in the Southern Pacific and worked its way up until finally being stationed in Japan after the end of the war. After his discharge from active duty, Jim joined the Air Force Reserves. He later joined the South Dakota National Guard in Redfield and the National Guard in Webster where he served until his honorable discharge in 1957. Jim met Mary Maurine Ruhlman at a dance in Rockham, S.D. They were married October 23, 1947, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aberdeen. Jim worked for Adrian Motors in Redfield for a short time. They later moved to Webster, S.D., where Jim worked with electrical contractors as an electrical foreman and helped build several large facilities throughout the northeast part of the state and in North Dakota. After his retirement in 1984, they moved back to Aberdeen and have resided here since that time. Jim was a member of the United Brotherhood of Electrical Workers until his retirement and was a Master Electrician. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, with over 50 years of service. Jim was affiliated with the Redfield, Webster and later the Aberdeen Knights of Columbus, Council #820. Jim enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending many hours working in his flower gardens. Surviving Jim are three sons, Robert (Kathleen) Bennett of Fargo, N.D., James (Debra) Bennett of Minneapolis, Minn., and Patrick (Judy) Bennett of Jamestown, N.D.; one daughter, Mary Brink of Phoenix, Ariz.; two sisters, Genevieve Bancroft of Rapid City, S.D., and Lorraine Huffman of Reidsville, Ga.; six grandchildren, Jenny Post, Steven Brink, Richard Bennett, Nicholas Bennett, Sarah Bennett and Bridget Bennett; and three great grandchildren, Nicholas Post, Danielle Post and Katelyn Bennett. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, one infant daughter and son, and his wife Mary, who died October 20, 1989. Pallbearers will be his three sons, Robert, James and Patrick and his three grandsons, Richard, Steve and Nicholas.
Published in the Aberdeen News on 4/9/2006.