Dr. James A. Bennett, of Elkhart
Published 9:31 am Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Aug. 12, 1937 — Oct. 8, 2015
Dr. James A. Bennett, 78, of Elkhart, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. The Kalamazoo native was born Aug. 12, 1937, to James J. & Ethel (Stillwell) Bennett. On Aug. 24, 1957, Jim married Betty Nordgren in Port Huron, Michigan after having originally met her at Brown City Missionary Church Camp. Dr. Bennett received his BA from Bethel College, his MA from Michigan State and his PhD from Walden University.
Dr. James A. Bennett
He was a Missionary Church pastor, having served many churches in Northern Indiana and Michigan. A teacher and school administrator in Michigan, he also coached tennis and was the NCHA Chaplain for many years.
Dr. Bennett served as president of Bethel College in the 1980s and after retirement he became the owner of AAA Stump Grinding in Elkhart, which afforded him the time to pursue his favorite pastime of fishing. Jim fished often with friends on Lake Michigan and enjoyed organizing many Canadian fishing trips taken with friends and family over the years.
He also enjoyed traveling, and he preached and taught in more than 40 countries around the world. In addition to his parents, Jim was also preceded in death by two brothers, Roger and Alan Bennett, and a sister, Jacqueline Engstrom. He is survived by Betty Bennett, his beloved wife of 58 years; their children, Carrie (Dale) Fish of Elkhart and James (Alisa) Bennett II of Elkhart; grandchildren, Elizabeth Fish and Sarah Fish, both of Elkhart, James (Katherine) Bennett III of Mishawaka and Jonathan Bennett of Elkhart; his sister, Madelon (Joe) Davis of Laurel, Montana and his brother, Brian Bennett of Sawyer, Michigan.
Funeral Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Bethel College, 1001 Bethel Circle, Mishawaka, in Everest-Rohrer Chapel & Fine Arts Center. The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday in the Weaver Rotunda, also in Everest-Rohrer Chapel & Fine Arts Center. Interment in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.
The family’s preferred memorials are Bethel College, 1001 Bethel Circle, Mishawaka, IN 46545 or Prairie (Missionary Church) Camp, (mailing address) 3301 Benham Ave, Elkhart, IN 46517. Service arrangements through Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 10776 McKinley Hwy. To sign the online guestbook or to offer condolences to the family, please visit www.chapelhillmemorial.com.
