Barbara Bennett Of Fair Haven Passes Away

Barbara Bennett, of Fair Haven, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 24, 2015 after a brief illness.

A gathering will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad Street, Red Bank.,

Barbara was born in Philadelphia, PA, in 1935. She graduated from the Shipley School and attended the Univ. of PA for one year. She married Derickson W. Bennett in 1958 and they raised two children, Melanie and Rebecca, in upstate New York and in Fair Haven. She received her BA in English Literature and her MSW from Rutgers Univ. She worked as a dialysis social worker at Monmouth Medical Center in the early 1980s and volunteered with at-risk youth in a literacy program in the late 1980s.

In later years, she was a tireless volunteer with Clean Ocean Action and spent many years coordinating the annual Beach Sweeps events and editing the newsletter. She also was involved with the stewardship of Fair Haven Fields and volunteered with the Two River Theater.

Barbara was an avid reader and regularly completed the New York Times crossword puzzle. She enjoyed birding, gardening, and knitting, and loved movies and theater. Barbara had an artistic streak and was inspired by nature to paint birds and wildflowers on several pieces of furniture in the Bennett home. One of her greatest joys was her beloved dog Jersey Girl. Barbara was a terrific cook and put up many a jar of beach plum and spicy peach jam to our delight.

She was proud of her three grandchildren and visited them in the Pacific Northwest whenever she could. Barbara is predeceased by her husband Derickson Bennett, and survived by daughters Melanie Bennett of Olympia, WA, and Rebecca Bennett of Seattle, WA, and grandchildren Eric, Adrienne, and Galen.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Clean Ocean Action, P.O. Box 505, Highlands, NJ 07732, the American Littoral Society, 18 Hartshorne Drive, Suite #1, Highlands, NJ 07732, and Lunch Break, P.O. Box 2215, Red Bank, NJ 07701.