Byron A. Bennett
Obituary submitted by Dolores Bennett


IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - It has pleased the Lord Almighty in His divine wisdom, grace, and love to call unto Himself Byron A. Bennett, welcoming him into His heavenly home Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004, after sharing him with us for 85 years.

Byron was born in Milwaukee and was raised by his adoptive mother, Mary Barden Bennett, in Saxon, Wis. Byron was 9 years of age when she died and her daughter, Edith Bachman, raised him along with her family. At the age of 14, Byron was employed by the Corrigan Farm in Saxon. From 1929 to 1938, he was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps at Camp Sheepranch, Phillips, Wis., and Camp Saxon.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to
1945 with the 2nd Division Infantry, taking part in the Battle of Normandy at Omaha Beach. Byron was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Service Medal, the American Theater Service Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, four Overseas Service Bars, five Battle Stars, and two Oak Leaf Clusters.

Following military service, he returned to Saxon where he was employed by Corrigan logging camps and the Corrigan slaughterhouse. He was also employed by the Town of Saxon and Iron County. Byron then did mining with the Mauthe Mining Co.

On June 14, 1952, Byron was married to Dolores E. Brace. Upon the closing of the Mauthe mine, Dolores and Byron moved to South Dakota and became houseparents at the Abbott House Children's Home in Mitchell. They returned to Saxon and briefly managed the Co-op Store there, until Byron became employed at the White Pine copper mine, retiring in 1981.

Byron was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church at Little Girl's Point; Ironwood Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1823; the National AARP, Ironwood Township Chapter; and the National Association of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Rhinelander, Wis., Chapter until its disbandment. He was a Boy Scout and 4H leader and an active member of the Little Girl's Point community.

Byron is survived by his wife, Dolores; daughter, Norita (Robert) Hoffman, Little Girl's Point; former daughter-in-law, Georgia (Jim) Piilola, Hurley; granddaughters, Jackie (Shawn) Vincent, Horicon, Wis., Michelle Hoffman, Milwaukee, and Dani (Frank) Prezkop, Montreal, Wis.; grandsons, Craig (Lisa) Hoffman, Beaver Dam, Wis., and Jesse Piilola (Jessie and children), Ironwood; great-grandsons, Austin Vincent, Horicon, and Cole Prezkop, Montreal, and great-granddaughters, Megan Kokely, Montreal, and Brook Piilola, Ironwood.

Other survivors include a sister-in-law, Beverly Bachman, Norfolk, Va.; nephews, Keith (Kathy) Akers and sons Ryan, Cory, and Brad, Pewaukee, Wis., Dale (Maxine) Akers, son Jason and daughter Veronica, Saxon, Wayne Bachman (Ginny and children), daughter Shannon, and sons Danny and David, Plymouth, Minn., and Eugene Bachman, Virginia Beach, Va.

Special survivors are the dozens of Abbott House sons and daughters and the many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who became and remain important members of Byron's family. Their expressions of love through the past 40 years gave him much joy.

Preceding Byron in death was his adoptive mother, Mary Bennett, and her daughter Edith Bachman, along with brothers Warren and Bill, a sister Barbara, a foster son, Douglas Watkins, mother- and father-in-law Libbie and Irving Brace, and brother-in-law Richard Brace.

Visitation will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Little Girl's Point, on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m., with a funeral service officiated by the Rev. Tim Coppersmith to follow at 11.

Full military rites will be accorded by the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard.

Luncheon will follow in the church fellowship hall. Interment will be in Sunset Acres Cemetery, Ironwood Township.
Memorials can be made to the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Little Girl's Point.

McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood, is in charge of the arrangements.