Obituary for Roscoe Dudley Bennett
REVEREND ROSCOE DUDLEY BENNETT, aged ninety, passed away at home in Jackson, New Jersey on April 30, 2019.
He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Roscoe Dudley Bennett, Sr., the Sports Editor of the Grand Rapids Press and Laura Bennett, a nurse. He graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids in 1950.
He enlisted in the United States Army, graduated from Officer Candidate School as a Second Lieutenant, and was Range Officer during the Korean War at the Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland.
In 1956 he graduated from Yale University Divinity School and was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1957. He was Vicar of St. Paul’s Church, Greenville, Michigan and was the founder of the Diocesan youth camp. He was Priest-in-Charge of St. Andrew’s, New Paltz, New York. He was Chaplain at SUNY, New Paltz. While in New Paltz he initiated an organization which later became the Ulster County community fund. He served as Priest-in-Charge at Holy Trinity Church in Highland, New York.
From 1963 to 1967 he was a Chaplain at Rutgers’s University Newark campus. He responded to Dr. Martin Luther King’s call for civil rights and marched with Dr. King at the second Selma march. He was a founder of one of the first community food banks in New Jersey.
He was a founder and for many years an officer of the First National City Bank of Newark. He was a recipient of a Humanitarian Award from the City of Newark. He served at several parishes in the Diocese of Newark as an interim Priest. He was on the Vestry of St. Peter’s Church, Essex Fells, New Jersey.
He founded American National Training which provided management leadership workshops for several major companies. He was the author of two published books on business management. He and his wife Margaret owned and operated The Orchard School, a preschool in West Caldwell, New Jersey
He was predeceased by an infant son, Myles Andrew, two sisters and two brothers. He leaves three children and their spouses, Paul and his wife Theresa, Martha Lanewala and her husband Saify, and Sarah Gregory and her husband Richard. He also leaves his grandchildren, Michael Lanewala, Daniel Lanewala, Alia McRorie, Rehanna Lanewala, Kira Lanewala; and two great-grandchildren, Liam and Lucas. He leaves his wife Marcia, two step-children, Susan Faistenhammer and Karen Brock and several step-grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral Service at 10:00 AM on Friday, May 24, 2019, at All Saints Episcopal Church, 213 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701. Please gather at 9:45 AM at the church. Arrangements are under the care of the GEORGE S. HASSLER FUNERAL HOME, 980 Bennetts Mills Rd., Jackson Twp., NJ. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Roscoe’s memory to All Saint’s Community Center, Food Pantry, 213 Madison Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701 (Please make checks payable to All Saints Community Center) and would be greatly appreciated. For directions, further information, and to send condolence messages to the family, please select an appropriate tab.
He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Roscoe Dudley Bennett, Sr., the Sports Editor of the Grand Rapids Press and Laura Bennett, a nurse. He graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids in 1950.
He enlisted in the United States Army, graduated from Officer Candidate School as a Second Lieutenant, and was Range Officer during the Korean War at the Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland.
In 1956 he graduated from Yale University Divinity School and was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1957. He was Vicar of St. Paul’s Church, Greenville, Michigan and was the founder of the Diocesan youth camp. He was Priest-in-Charge of St. Andrew’s, New Paltz, New York. He was Chaplain at SUNY, New Paltz. While in New Paltz he initiated an organization which later became the Ulster County community fund. He served as Priest-in-Charge at Holy Trinity Church in Highland, New York.
From 1963 to 1967 he was a Chaplain at Rutgers’s University Newark campus. He responded to Dr. Martin Luther King’s call for civil rights and marched with Dr. King at the second Selma march. He was a founder of one of the first community food banks in New Jersey.
He was a founder and for many years an officer of the First National City Bank of Newark. He was a recipient of a Humanitarian Award from the City of Newark. He served at several parishes in the Diocese of Newark as an interim Priest. He was on the Vestry of St. Peter’s Church, Essex Fells, New Jersey.
He founded American National Training which provided management leadership workshops for several major companies. He was the author of two published books on business management. He and his wife Margaret owned and operated The Orchard School, a preschool in West Caldwell, New Jersey
He was predeceased by an infant son, Myles Andrew, two sisters and two brothers. He leaves three children and their spouses, Paul and his wife Theresa, Martha Lanewala and her husband Saify, and Sarah Gregory and her husband Richard. He also leaves his grandchildren, Michael Lanewala, Daniel Lanewala, Alia McRorie, Rehanna Lanewala, Kira Lanewala; and two great-grandchildren, Liam and Lucas. He leaves his wife Marcia, two step-children, Susan Faistenhammer and Karen Brock and several step-grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral Service at 10:00 AM on Friday, May 24, 2019, at All Saints Episcopal Church, 213 Madison Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701. Please gather at 9:45 AM at the church. Arrangements are under the care of the GEORGE S. HASSLER FUNERAL HOME, 980 Bennetts Mills Rd., Jackson Twp., NJ. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Roscoe’s memory to All Saint’s Community Center, Food Pantry, 213 Madison Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701 (Please make checks payable to All Saints Community Center) and would be greatly appreciated. For directions, further information, and to send condolence messages to the family, please select an appropriate tab.