Paul Bennett

Services for Paul A. Bennett, 82 of Tyler, will be held on Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 11:00 AM at Colonial Hills Baptist Church with Rev. Robert Carter and Rev. Bobby Land officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler, Texas under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Bennett passed away on Monday, August 15, 2011 at home. He was born April 20, 1929 in Hamilton, Texas to Noah Amon Bennett and Annie Stella Moss Bennett. He moved to Tyler in 1940 and attended Tyler schools. He served in the Texas National Guard. Paul married Jeanette Rouse on November 8, 1952. In 1960 he formed a partnership with Wiley Holman and W.W. Phillips known as Holman-Bennett-Phillips Equipment. He was a Case heavy equipment dealer for over 36 years, serving two terms on the J I Case Dealer Council. He also served on the Dealer Councils for Champion Equipment and the Alamo Group. In the late 1970’s he assumed full ownership of Bennett Equipment. Mr. Bennett sold the business and retired in 1996. He was a charter member and former trustee of Colonial Hills Baptist Church. He organized a men’s volunteer group at Breckenridge Village of Tyler and was active in numerous volunteer endeavors. He had a servant’s heart and was always ready to help anyone in need. Paul is survived by his wife, Jeanette Bennett; daughter Kay Bennett McKie and husband David K. McKie Jr. of Denton; son Paul W. and wife Janet Risley Bennett of Dallas; granddaughters Meredith McKie of Frisco and Lindsay McKie of Santiago, Chile; sisters Maxine Dul of Chicago, IL., Margaret Carlson of Iron Mountain, MI., Eleanor England of Louisville, KY., and Bernice Baradel of Pasadena, MD. Pallbearers will be James Black, Bill Sanders, Pete Hughes, Bill Davis, Bill Tucker, John Danaher, Maurice Carter, and Danny Rozell. Honorary pallbearers will be the Men’s Volunteer Group of Breckenridge Village of Tyler, The Disciples Sunday School Class of Colonial Hills Baptist Church, former employees of Bennett Equipment and lifelong friend Jack Grier. Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, August 17, 2011 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler. Memorials in honor of Paul A. Bennett may be made to Breckenridge Village of Tyler, 15062 Pleasant Retreat Road, Tyler, Texas 75704 or the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 2050, Tyler, Texas 75710.

Paul Bennett

April 20, 1929 - August 15, 2011