SHERIDAN -- Memorial services for William B. “Bill” Bennett, 74, will be held at a later date.

He died on Sept. 4, 2008, in Rock Port, Texas, after a long battle with cancer.

He was born on Nov. 5, 1933, in Sheridan, to Bill and Hazel (Brandt) Bennett of Acme. He grew up in Acme where he went to grade school.

He later attended Sheridan High School until he graduated in 1952.

After school he joined the U.S. Army where he served as a payroll clerk in San Diego, and later in Wyoming as a reservist until 1963.

He then returned to Sheridan to go to work for Mountain Bell Telephone Company in 1955.

While in San Diego he met Sheridan resident Jean Katherine Martini.

They married on Jan. 23, 1960, and made their home in Sheridan. While there they had three sons, Robert, Michael, and Steven.

In 1963, the family moved to Newcastle where he continued working for Mountain Bell as a central office technician. They had a fourth son, John.

While in Newcastle he was very active in his church, coach of Little League Baseball, and an avid fly fisherman and bowler.

He also enjoyed hunting with his family and friends.

He was a longtime member of the Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department.

In 1985, he moved, to Page, Ariz., to continue his employment with the phone company. He retired in 1995 after 40 years of service with the phone companies.

While in Page he was very active in his church and became a member of the Page Elks Lodge and served as a city council member for The Lake Powell Mobile Home Park. After the loss of his wife, in 1994, he married Judy Rinne of Page in 1995.

They then moved to Marysville, Wash., in 1997, where he continued his hobby of fishing.

In 2003, he and his wife purchased a motor home so he could see more of the United States. He did so until his illness in 2006, forced him to stay in Rock Port where he had many RV friends from around the country.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 31 years, Jean, and two sons, Michael and Steven.

He is survived by his wife Judy; sons, Robert of Green Bay, Wis., and John of Sheridan, stepdaughters, Sheryl Lockhart of Everett, Wash., and Christy Lindstadt of Santa Rosa, Calif., and four grandsons.

Casper Star-Tribune - September 10, 2008