Dorothy Ann Bennett entered into eternal rest on March 7, 2024, after a wonderful 85 years of a beautiful life.
Dorothy was born in Hubbard, Nebraska, and grew up in South Sioux City, Nebraska. Her best friend, Rosemary, introduced her to her future husband, L Wesley Bennett, of Elk Point, South Dakota, on a blind date on St Patrick’s Day in 1952. Both couples married, best girlfriends marrying best guy friends. They were life-long friends.
Wes and Dorothy married on July 27, 1952. They had four children: Vivian, Annette, Paul, and Lynn.
Wes and Dorothy moved their family to Atascadero, CA, in 1963, where they became active members of Redeemer Lutheran Church. They enjoyed The Couples Club at Redeemer, where they made many friendships that would last through their lifetimes.
Dorothy had a few jobs, first as an Avon Lady and Lewis Ave schoolyard monitor before starting her career at the US Postal Service around 1970. She worked her way up quickly to mail carrier. She loved the people on her route but was very happy to retire in 2000 after 30 years of service.
Dorothy was very active in giving back to her community. She was pivotal in arranging infant care kits for Lutheran World Relief for the last 20-plus years. It made her happy and gave purpose for all the sweaters she knitted and pajamas that she collected from thrift stores and donations. She spent countless hours cooking and volunteering at ECHO, the local shelter, going so far as to give the socks off her feet to a man with none.
She was a founding member of Hope Lutheran Church, which she attended for the rest of her life and even hosted coffee hour the week before her death.
She attended every game and function she possibly could in her free time for her 11 grandchildren. She spent time traveling with her friend Janice. She was an active member of the Atascadero Senior Center, where you could often find her having lunch with friends on Thursdays as part of their lunch program. She spent countless hours with all her friends – getting coffee, shopping, watching plays, attending Cal Poly football games, enjoying her Sunday night football group and her weekly Sunday Brunch with her crew from church and close friend Linda.
She spent the last 52 years at her home in Paradise Valley on Cascabel Road. She loved the natural beauty of her home there. She hosted many family and friends who also loved spending time out on her deck covered by a big beautiful oak.
Our mother never stopped. She lived her life until her very last hours to their absolute fullest.
She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Wes, a daughter, Vivian, and daughter, Annette. She is survived by Annette’s children, Denier, Darla, Dallas, and Nick; her son, Paul, his wife, Annette, and their children, Shannon, Rebecca, and Paul Jr.; her daughter, Lynn, her husband, Ron, and their children, Lowell, Austin, Leo, and Patrick; along with 17 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
May you all have lasting memories of who she was and how her compassion touched you, her community, and the world.
