Everett Bennett

Everett (Bud) Hathaway Bennett, Jr lately of Chevy Chase, Maryland passed away on November 22, 2023. He was 95 and had battled with Parkinson’s. He is predeceased by this wife, Marilyn Chace Bennett who passed away in 2020, as well as his sister Barbara Bennett Pietraszek. He is survived by his daughter Susan Bennett of Washington, DC and son David Hathaway Bennett of San Clemente, CA. He also leaves behind several nieces - Ellen Dorr Marsh, Jean Dorr Lyons (predeceased) both daughters of Claire Chace Dorr and Joan Pietraszek Hopf (daughter of Barbara Bennett Pietraszek). He had 4 grandchildren Benjamin Kawecki, Daniel Kawecki, John Bennett and Mark Bennett. He also had many grand nieces and nephews.

He was born in Fall River, MA and was the son of Verna Mae Gilchrest and Everett Hathaway Bennett. His parents divorced when he as 5 years old and at the age of 12 welcomed a step mother, Hilda Pierce Bennett. As a child, he said he attended a new school every year as he lived with a number of his relatives in Fall River, Swansea and Somerset and at the age of 95 could still remember all the street names.

Bud met his future wife, Marilyn (Mae) Chace at the Sophomore Ring Dance at Somerset High School in 1943. She often stated that she was impressed with his acting abilities in the school play as a downed American pilot. They married in 1955 for nearly 65 years until her death.

Bud’s father made him a skiff when he was about 8 in which he and his buddies would traverse the Taunton River and pick up golf balls that had found their way to the river’s edge at Fall River Country Club. This and learning in his father’s wood making shop inspired him to be an engineer.

He entered the Army upon graduating from Somerset High School in 1945 and was deployed in Japan after the Armistice for 2 years and then enrolled at Brown University. After completing is Freshman and Sophomore years, he took a leave and worked for the Forest Service in Washington State and Idaho. He returned to finish college at Bradford Durfee Technical Institute (now Southern Massachusetts University) graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After getting a job at Avco/Lycoming, they moved to Connecticut raised their family in Milford, CT. Bud and Mae were great travelers. Trailer camping with their young family and driving across the country. They wintered in Vero Beach for many years and took a cruises through the Panama Canal as well as Alaska. They both are greatly missed by friends and family.

We thank the wonderful folks at Brighton Gardens and the Jewish Social Services Association for the compassionate care they provided at the end of his life. He was known there as the “Man of Steel” in tribute to his sturdiness despite a few tumbles.

A celebration of Life for both Bud and Mae will be held in late Spring/early Summer in both Connecticut and Massachusetts. Interment will be besides his wife at Nathan Slade Cemetery in Somerset, Massachusetts.