John Allen Bennett

John Allen Bennett of Marietta, Georgia, age 91 years 7 months, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2025 after a brief illness. Known as “John Allen” to family and friends in his South Georgia hometown of Eastman, he was born on December 23, 1933 to Fred and Lucile (Norris) Bennett. John Allen was the youngest of three children, and became a standout athlete for the Eastman High School “Wildcats” football team (quarterback) and baseball team (pitcher) in the late 1940’s.

As a child during WWII, John Allen developed a keen interest in aircraft technology. He enrolled at Emory at Oxford as “John” (instead of John Allen), and then transferred to Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating in 1956 with a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering. It was during a social event between Georgia Tech and Agnes Scott students that John met Priscilla Ellis Goodwin, the Atlanta girl who would become his wife on August 25, 1954. They celebrated 62 years of faithful and devoted marriage before her death in 2016.

Upon graduation from Tech, John entered the Air Force and moved with Priscilla to Wright Patterson Air Force Base (Dayton, Ohio) to work as a weapons specialist on the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter project. That landed John a civilian job with Lockheed-Georgia Company, and in late 1958 he moved back to Atlanta with Priscilla and firstborn son (John David in ‘58) and built a home in the Sedalia Park neighborhood of Marietta, GA. Over the next four years, John & Priscilla added two more rambunctious sons (Stephen Norris in ‘60 and James Goodwin in ‘63). John added an MBA and Real Estate License to his resume in the following decades.

John worked as a Lead Aerodynamic Specialist at Lockheed Georgia Company for over 30 years. During this time, he conducted research, created mainframe computer programs for aerodynamic applications, and designed airfoils for the C-141 Starlifter, C-5 Galaxy, and the “stretch” versions of the C-141, C-5, and C-130 Hercules. John’s work resulted in many aerodynamic design patents for Lockheed, with special recognition for the innovative high-wing design of the C-5. For the last 58 years, the C-5 has held the record for largest military transport plane in the world. After retiring from Lockheed in 1989, John worked as an engineering contractor for Boeing Aerospace for two years. He finally retired after 7 more years as an engineering analyst & investigative agent for the Internal Revenue Service. As a hobby and investment opportunity, John also purchased and managed single-family residential rental real estate.

John was active in his community as well as in his profession. He and Priscilla were among the first to join the new John Knox Presbyterian Church in Marietta (spun off from First Pres. Church of Marietta in 1958). John served many times over as deacon, elder and Church Treasurer during his 65 years of faithful attendance and Christian service. As a dedicated Atlanta Falcons fan, John held season tickets for the Falcon’s first fifty years, sharing tickets (and his opinions on the Falcons) with family and friends alike.

John leaves behind his three sons David (Karen) of Sandy Springs, GA; Stephen of Marietta, GA; Jim (Teena) of Marietta, GA; grandchildren Eli (Erika) of Peachtree Corners, GA; Jonathan of Marietta, GA; Paige and Erica of Marietta, GA; also, many nieces, nephews and other relatives in Eastman and Winston-Salem, NC. He was preceded in death by his brother Fred Roswell “Buddy” Bennett, Jr. and his sister Mary Alice (Bennett) Long.

A Memorial Service will be held at John Knox Presbyterian Church on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the John Knox Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund, 505 Powers Ferry Rd, Marietta, GA 30067, (770) 973-5050. www.johnknoxpcmarietta.org