Obituary of William Eugene Bennett WILLIAM EUGENE BENNETT Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - August 10, 2002 W. Eugene Bennett SUFFOLK - William Eugene "Gene" Bennett, 90, died Aug. 8, 2002, in Obici Hospital. Born Oct. 20, 1911, in Winston-Salem, N.C., he was the son of the late Ernest V. and Hassie Ferguson Bennett and the widower of Beulah D. Bennett and Bernice Blackman Bennett. Mr. Bennett was associated with the cleaning business for most of his life, having started in 1937 by selling cleaning supplies in Winston-Salem. He worked with Roland Felton at Southern Dry Cleaners for 12 years and then opened Bennett's Master Cleaners, now Master Cleaners, in 1950. He was then associated with Phipps & Bird and then Wayside Cleaners in Portsmouth, retiring in 1989. He was a member of Oakland Christian Church and the Barraca Class of Suffolk Christian Church. He was past master of Suffolk Masonic Lodge No. 30 AF&AM, a member of Mount Nebo Royal Arch Chapter No. 20, Portsmouth, Franklin and Suffolk Shrine clubs, Khedive Temple, Portsmouth Commandry, Knights of Pythias No. 50, Ziyad No. 228 Norfolk, Dokkie's and Traveler's Protective Association Post "P." Survivors include his daughters, Peggy B. Brown of Smithfield, Fay B. Major and husband Ben of Battery Park; grandchildren, Cheryl M. Jeffers of Smithfield, Pixie M. Jones of Chesapeake, Denise B. Hundley, Randy Brown, Ben Major III, Gene Major, all of Smithfield; great-grandchildren, Devon, Collin and Brittani Jeffers, Jeremy and Kristen Jones, Justin and Chase Hundley, Amanda and Nikki Brown, Ben and Michael Major, Styles and Ashley Major. A funeral with Masonic rites will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the graveside in Holly Lawn Cemetery by the Rev. Donald Rhoden and the Rev. Michael D. Halley. The family will receive friends anytime today at 20139 River Ave., Battery Park. Memorial donations may be made to the Greenville Shrine Hospital, 950 W. Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605-4277. R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Edition: FINAL Page: B4 Copyright (c) 2002 The Virginian-Pilot ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ––– Narrative Summary of the Obituary ––– William Eugene "Gene" Bennett died 8 Aug 2002 in Suffolk at age 90. Born 20 Oct 1911 in Winston-Salem, N.C., he worked in the cleaning business beginning in 1937, later operating Bennett's Master Cleaners and retiring in 1989 after years with several cleaning firms. Funeral with Masonic rites was held Sunday 11 Aug 2002 at 2 p.m. at the graveside in Holly Lawn Cemetery, officiated by the Rev. Donald Rhoden and the Rev. Michael D. Halley. ––– Transcript ––– WILLIAM EUGENE BENNETT Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - August 10, 2002 W. Eugene Bennett SUFFOLK - William Eugene "Gene" Bennett, 90, died Aug. 8, 2002, in Obici Hospital. Born Oct. 20, 1911, in Winston-Salem, N.C., he was the son of the late Ernest V. and Hassie Ferguson Bennett and the widower of Beulah D. Bennett and Bernice Blackman Bennett. Mr. Bennett was associated with the cleaning business for most of his life, having started in 1937 by selling cleaning supplies in Winston-Salem. He worked with Roland Felton at Southern Dry Cleaners for 12 years and then opened Bennett's Master Cleaners, now Master Cleaners, in 1950. He was then associated with Phipps & Bird and then Wayside Cleaners in Portsmouth, retiring in 1989. He was a member of Oakland Christian Church and the Barraca Class of Suffolk Christian Church. He was past master of Suffolk Masonic Lodge No. 30 AF&AM, a member of Mount Nebo Royal Arch Chapter No. 20, Portsmouth, Franklin and Suffolk Shrine clubs, Khedive Temple, Portsmouth Commandry, Knights of Pythias No. 50, Ziyad No. 228 Norfolk, Dokkie's and Traveler's Protective Association Post "P." Survivors include his daughters, Peggy B. Brown of Smithfield, Fay B. Major and husband Ben of Battery Park; grandchildren, Cheryl M. Jeffers of Smithfield, Pixie M. Jones of Chesapeake, Denise B. Hundley, Randy Brown, Ben Major III, Gene Major, all of Smithfield; great-grandchildren, Devon, Collin and Brittani Jeffers, Jeremy and Kristen Jones, Justin and Chase Hundley, Amanda and Nikki Brown, Ben and Michael Major, Styles and Ashley Major. A funeral with Masonic rites will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the graveside in Holly Lawn Cemetery by the Rev. Donald Rhoden and the Rev. Michael D. Halley. The family will receive friends anytime today at 20139 River Ave., Battery Park. Memorial donations may be made to the Greenville Shrine Hospital, 950 W. Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605-4277. R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home is handling arrangements. ––– Vital Statistics ––– |----------------------------------------------------| | Name | William Eugene Bennett | | Age | 90 | | Birth | 20 Oct 1911; Winston-Salem, North Carolina | | Death | 8 Aug 2002; Obici Hospital | |----------------------------------------------------| ––– Table of Relationships ––– |----------------------------------------------------------------| | Name | Relationship | Residence | |--------------------------|----------------------|--------------| | William Eugene Bennett | Decedent | Suffolk | | Beulah D. Bennett | Spouse (predeceased) | Unknown | | Bernice Blackman Bennett | Spouse (predeceased) | Unknown | | Ernest V. Bennett | Father (predeceased) | Unknown | | Hassie Ferguson Bennett | Mother (predeceased) | Unknown | | Peggy B. Brown | Daughter | Smithfield | | Fay B. Major | Daughter | Battery Park | | Ben Major | Son-in-law | Battery Park | | Cheryl M. Jeffers | Grandchild | Smithfield | | Pixie M. Jones | Grandchild | Chesapeake | | Denise B. Hundley | Grandchild | Smithfield | | Randy Brown | Grandchild | Smithfield | | Ben Major III | Grandchild | Smithfield | | Gene Major | Grandchild | Smithfield | | Devon Jeffers | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Collin Jeffers | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Brittani Jeffers | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Jeremy Jones | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Kristen Jones | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Justin Hundley | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Chase Hundley | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Amanda Brown | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Nikki Brown | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Ben Major | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Michael Major | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Styles Major | Great-grandchild | Unknown | | Ashley Major | Great-grandchild | Unknown | |----------------------------------------------------------------| ––– Publication Details ––– |--------------------------------| | Field | Value | |----------|---------------------| | Location | Norfolk, Virginia | | Name | The Virginian-Pilot | | Date | 10 Aug 2002 | | Edition | FINAL | | Section | B | | Page | B4 | |--------------------------------| ––– Other Relevant Information ––– • Worked in the cleaning business most of his life • Began selling cleaning supplies in 1937 in Winston-Salem • Worked with Roland Felton at Southern Dry Cleaners for 12 years • Opened Bennett's Master Cleaners in 1950 • Later associated with Phipps & Bird and Wayside Cleaners in Portsmouth • Retired in 1989 • Member of Oakland Christian Church • Member of Barraca Class of Suffolk Christian Church • Past master of Suffolk Masonic Lodge No. 30 AF&AM • Member of Mount Nebo Royal Arch Chapter No. 20, Portsmouth • Member of Franklin and Suffolk Shrine clubs • Member of Khedive Temple • Member of Portsmouth Commandry • Member of Knights of Pythias No. 50 • Member of Ziyad No. 228 Norfolk • Member of Dokkie's and Traveler's Protective Association Post "P." • Also known as "Gene" [See also: www.findagrave.com/memorial/243547258/william-eugene-bennett www.findagrave.com/memorial/134535293/beulah_disher-bennett www.findagrave.com/memorial/44489051/mamie_bernice-rabey-bennett ] [Contributed by Bruce Saunders, bs4403@verizon.net] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may have contributed to the creation of this text. 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