1925 - 2009
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ALTON
B. BENNETT - 83 - Peoples Bank of Lakeland
LAKELAND - Alton
B. Bennett, 83, of Lakeland passed away on Saturday morning, July 25,
2009, at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale of complications of
diabetes. He was born on November 6, 1925, in Warwick, GA to Jesse
Mitchell and Ethel Murphy Bennett and came to Lakeland with his
family when he was 10 years old. He attended John Cox Elementary
and graduated from Lakeland High School.
After high
school he went into the U.S. Army Air Forces for 2 1/2 years serving in
Labrador. He then graduated from Florida Southern College in 1950
with a B.S. degree in Business Administration. Soon after college he
went to work at the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of
America (Carpenter's Home) as their office manager. He then went to
work at Peoples Bank of Lakeland in 1953 as a teller. In 1958 he
was elected Auditor and during this time he attended the NABAC School
at the University of Wisconsin and graduated in 1960. In 1960 he was
elected Asst. VP and Auditor and in 1963 was elevated to Vice President
and Comptroller. He served in that capacity until he was elected by the
Board of Directors as Executive Vice President and Comptroller. In 1971
he was elected to the Board of Directors . In 1983 he was elected
President of Peoples Bank. It was a special honor for it was the first
time since 1936 that someone other than a McClurg was president. Before
retiring in 1991, he served as Chairman of the Executive Committee. He
was also active in many civic affairs serving as President of the
Kiwanis Club and President of the Civitan Club and on various
committees with the United Way and Florida Southern College. He was
also active in the AIB Chapter serving as its President and the FBA
Board of Directors and a member of the FBA Council.
He was a
family man and was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Dow
Bennett. > He is survived by their three children, Susan Hedges
and her husband Robert, Joe and his wife, Stevelyn and Gary and his
wife, Patty, 7 grandchildren Jakob Bennett and wife Paula, Natalie
Hedges Merritt and husband Jason, Robbie Hedges and wife Amanda,
Mitchell Bennett, Serena Bennett Brenneman and husband Jacob, Jenna
Bennett and Jared Bennett and 5 great-grandchildren: Caleb and Joshua
Merritt, Charlene and Colby Bennett, and Brody Hedges.
He was
also preceded in death by two brothers, Norman and Murphy Mitchell
Bennett and survived by one sister, Jeanette Shamrock. He is a lifetime
member of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church where he served as
chairman of the finance committee. He loved to play golf and played as
often as possible. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. with funeral services
following at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 29, 2009 at Wesley Memorial
United Methodist Church, 719 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland, Florida
(33801). Interment is at Oak Hill Burial Park, 4620 Hwy. 98 S,
Lakeland FL. Donations may be made to Wesley Memorial Youth and
Children's Group at the above address. –
Ledger, July 27, 2009. |
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