Newton LaVerne Bennett, 83, formerly of Blakesburg, IA and Redmond, WA, died February 6, 2023 in Prescott, AZ.
He was born October 7, 1939 in Seattle, WA to Ralph and Mary Blanche Shields Bennett. Verne moved to Blakesburg with his mother where he grew up surrounded by several aunts and uncles and dozens of cousins. He met his future wife, Judy Patty in Blakesburg where they were in separate grades, but sat across from each other in assembly.
In 1959, Verne enlisted in the US Coast Guard and attended boot camp at Cape May in New Jersey. Shortly after enlisting, Verne and Judy were married in Pleasant Home Methodist Church outside Blakesburg. Their first son, Robert "Bob" was born on Halloween the following year.
Verne advanced quickly, moving from Petty Officer to Chief Petty Officer in 4 years 3 months. Three years later, he was promoted to Warrant Officer. He was sent to the RCA Institute in New York for electrical training from 1966 to 1968, where his second son, Brian, was born. After graduation, he signed up for officer candidate's school in Groton, CT and his daughter, Laura was born during this time.
Serving over 32 years in the US Coast Guard, Verne retired with the rank of Commander in 1991. His various assignments included tours aboard sea-going buoy tenders, servicing all aids to navigation along the Washington and Oregon coast, commanding officer of Loran C Station, Iwo Jima, and commanding officer of the Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service, which monitored all ship and tug boat navigation on over 2,500 square miles of northwest waters. Additionally, he taught adult education navigation classes to many Northwest resident, and at the end of his Coast Guard career, served as the US Department of Transportation Deputy Program Manager of the GPS Joint Program office, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. In 1991, Verne took a job with Magellan as their Technical Sales Representative, tasked with building the awareness of GPS in the northwest by providing accurate information to yacht clubs, boat yards, marinas, commercial fisherman and the media. He continued working for them for a decade. During that time, he purchased a 1968 Cessna 172i and flew every chance he could. He was proudly part of the $100 hamburger crowd for 21 years, flying to small airports all over the Pacific Northwest just to grab lunch and fly home.
Surviving is his wife of 63 years, Judy; their sons, Robert (Sarah) Bennett and Brian (Marla) Bennett; their daughter, Laura Robins; granddaughter, Brittany Lobato; and great-granddaughter, Elea.
Private burial will take place in Wellman Cemetery near Blakesburg, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to S.O.D.A. (Serve our Dog Areas) www.soda.org as Verne spent years working with the organization to help preserve the dog park where he loved to take his "girls," Coco and Cayenne.
Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He was born October 7, 1939 in Seattle, WA to Ralph and Mary Blanche Shields Bennett. Verne moved to Blakesburg with his mother where he grew up surrounded by several aunts and uncles and dozens of cousins. He met his future wife, Judy Patty in Blakesburg where they were in separate grades, but sat across from each other in assembly.
In 1959, Verne enlisted in the US Coast Guard and attended boot camp at Cape May in New Jersey. Shortly after enlisting, Verne and Judy were married in Pleasant Home Methodist Church outside Blakesburg. Their first son, Robert "Bob" was born on Halloween the following year.
Verne advanced quickly, moving from Petty Officer to Chief Petty Officer in 4 years 3 months. Three years later, he was promoted to Warrant Officer. He was sent to the RCA Institute in New York for electrical training from 1966 to 1968, where his second son, Brian, was born. After graduation, he signed up for officer candidate's school in Groton, CT and his daughter, Laura was born during this time.
Serving over 32 years in the US Coast Guard, Verne retired with the rank of Commander in 1991. His various assignments included tours aboard sea-going buoy tenders, servicing all aids to navigation along the Washington and Oregon coast, commanding officer of Loran C Station, Iwo Jima, and commanding officer of the Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service, which monitored all ship and tug boat navigation on over 2,500 square miles of northwest waters. Additionally, he taught adult education navigation classes to many Northwest resident, and at the end of his Coast Guard career, served as the US Department of Transportation Deputy Program Manager of the GPS Joint Program office, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. In 1991, Verne took a job with Magellan as their Technical Sales Representative, tasked with building the awareness of GPS in the northwest by providing accurate information to yacht clubs, boat yards, marinas, commercial fisherman and the media. He continued working for them for a decade. During that time, he purchased a 1968 Cessna 172i and flew every chance he could. He was proudly part of the $100 hamburger crowd for 21 years, flying to small airports all over the Pacific Northwest just to grab lunch and fly home.
Surviving is his wife of 63 years, Judy; their sons, Robert (Sarah) Bennett and Brian (Marla) Bennett; their daughter, Laura Robins; granddaughter, Brittany Lobato; and great-granddaughter, Elea.
Private burial will take place in Wellman Cemetery near Blakesburg, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to S.O.D.A. (Serve our Dog Areas) www.soda.org as Verne spent years working with the organization to help preserve the dog park where he loved to take his "girls," Coco and Cayenne.
Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Newton LaVerne Bennett, 83, formerly of Blakesburg, IA and Redmond, WA, died February 6, 2023 in Prescott, AZ.
He was born October 7, 1939 in Seattle, WA to Ralph and Mary Blanche Shields Bennett. Verne moved to Blakesburg with his mother where he grew up surrounded by several aunts and uncles and dozens of cousins. He met his future wife, Judy Patty in Blakesburg where they were in separate grades, but sat across from each other in assembly.
In 1959, Verne enlisted in the US Coast Guard and attended boot camp at Cape May in New Jersey. Shortly after enlisting, Verne and Judy were married in Pleasant Home Methodist Church outside Blakesburg. Their first son, Robert "Bob" was born on Halloween the following year.
Verne advanced quickly, moving from Petty Officer to Chief Petty Officer in 4 years 3 months. Three years later, he was promoted to Warrant Officer. He was sent to the RCA Institute in New York for electrical training from 1966 to 1968, where his second son, Brian, was born. After graduation, he signed up for officer candidate's school in Groton, CT and his daughter, Laura was born during this time.
Serving over 32 years in the US Coast Guard, Verne retired with the rank of Commander in 1991. His various assignments included tours aboard sea-going buoy tenders, servicing all aids to navigation along the Washington and Oregon coast, commanding officer of Loran C Station, Iwo Jima, and commanding officer of the Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service, which monitored all ship and tug boat navigation on over 2,500 square miles of northwest waters. Additionally, he taught adult education navigation classes to many Northwest resident, and at the end of his Coast Guard career, served as the US Department of Transportation Deputy Program Manager of the GPS Joint Program office, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. In 1991, Verne took a job with Magellan as their Technical Sales Representative, tasked with building the awareness of GPS in the northwest by providing accurate information to yacht clubs, boat yards, marinas, commercial fisherman and the media. He continued working for them for a decade. During that time, he purchased a 1968 Cessna 172i and flew every chance he could. He was proudly part of the $100 hamburger crowd for 21 years, flying to small airports all over the Pacific Northwest just to grab lunch and fly home.
Surviving is his wife of 63 years, Judy; their sons, Robert (Sarah) Bennett and Brian (Marla) Bennett; their daughter, Laura Robins; granddaughter, Brittany Lobato; and great-granddaughter, Elea.
Private burial will take place in Wellman Cemetery near Blakesburg, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to S.O.D.A. (Serve our Dog Areas) www.soda.org as Verne spent years working with the organization to help preserve the dog park where he loved to take his "girls," Coco and Cayenne.
Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He was born October 7, 1939 in Seattle, WA to Ralph and Mary Blanche Shields Bennett. Verne moved to Blakesburg with his mother where he grew up surrounded by several aunts and uncles and dozens of cousins. He met his future wife, Judy Patty in Blakesburg where they were in separate grades, but sat across from each other in assembly.
In 1959, Verne enlisted in the US Coast Guard and attended boot camp at Cape May in New Jersey. Shortly after enlisting, Verne and Judy were married in Pleasant Home Methodist Church outside Blakesburg. Their first son, Robert "Bob" was born on Halloween the following year.
Verne advanced quickly, moving from Petty Officer to Chief Petty Officer in 4 years 3 months. Three years later, he was promoted to Warrant Officer. He was sent to the RCA Institute in New York for electrical training from 1966 to 1968, where his second son, Brian, was born. After graduation, he signed up for officer candidate's school in Groton, CT and his daughter, Laura was born during this time.
Serving over 32 years in the US Coast Guard, Verne retired with the rank of Commander in 1991. His various assignments included tours aboard sea-going buoy tenders, servicing all aids to navigation along the Washington and Oregon coast, commanding officer of Loran C Station, Iwo Jima, and commanding officer of the Puget Sound Vessel Traffic Service, which monitored all ship and tug boat navigation on over 2,500 square miles of northwest waters. Additionally, he taught adult education navigation classes to many Northwest resident, and at the end of his Coast Guard career, served as the US Department of Transportation Deputy Program Manager of the GPS Joint Program office, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. In 1991, Verne took a job with Magellan as their Technical Sales Representative, tasked with building the awareness of GPS in the northwest by providing accurate information to yacht clubs, boat yards, marinas, commercial fisherman and the media. He continued working for them for a decade. During that time, he purchased a 1968 Cessna 172i and flew every chance he could. He was proudly part of the $100 hamburger crowd for 21 years, flying to small airports all over the Pacific Northwest just to grab lunch and fly home.
Surviving is his wife of 63 years, Judy; their sons, Robert (Sarah) Bennett and Brian (Marla) Bennett; their daughter, Laura Robins; granddaughter, Brittany Lobato; and great-granddaughter, Elea.
Private burial will take place in Wellman Cemetery near Blakesburg, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to S.O.D.A. (Serve our Dog Areas) www.soda.org as Verne spent years working with the organization to help preserve the dog park where he loved to take his "girls," Coco and Cayenne.
Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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