Julia May Bennett was born Aug. 9, 1942, and passed on Feb. 28, 2019. But it is what happened between those two dates that is really important. Julia, or Julie as everyone referred to her, was the youngest of six children, three brothers (Brian, Ray and Jack), and two sisters (Peggy and Pat). The six of them, who were lovely referred to as the “Big Six” by their families, grew up in an Irish Catholic home, and what they lacked in money they more than made up in love and humor. As Julie got older, she became quite a looker, with long auburn hair with her trademark streak of grey in the front, much to the shagreen of her brothers, who took to chasing off her suitors by any means possible. She was quite a sight, driving around in her beloved convertible, and maybe that is what drew her husband, Roger Bennett, to her. Roger and Julie met in New Orleans and after a brief courtship, were married, and walked side by side through life until the day the good Lord called him home in 2007. Roger had six kids from a previous marriage (Kurt, Guy, Glen, Warren, Ricky and Kathy) who Julie loved very much. Roger and Julie had two more kids of their own, Julie, who was named after her mother (mom slipped once after her Alzheimer’s kicked in and told me Julie was the favorite, which she never lets me forget), and the MUCH YOUNGER AND BETTER LOOKING daughter, Kelly (although my sister would argue that point). In 1979 they purchased 40 beautiful acres in western Montana where they built their dream home, a log cabin for which they pounded every nail and placed every board, piece by piece, making not just a house, but a home. Mom and Dad loved to dance, and waltzed through life together with almost as much grace as they did on the dance floor. They saw all of us kids through the ups and downs of life, picking us up when they needed to, and giving us a firm kick in the rear when life called for that as well. My mom was by my side when I had my first daughter, Danika, and was sitting in the hospital with my sister Julie when her daughter Julianne decided to come prematurely and nearly scared us all to death. She proudly held my hand, crying and laughing when my son Kayden’s adoption was finalized, and was one of the first people to hold my two youngest babies, Ronyn and Maxon. She did this and everything in her life, out of love for her family, which grew to include numerous beloved grandkids and great-grandkids over the years. We are all missing her terribly already, although we are comforted by the fact that she is now in a better place, waltzing across heaven with my dad, and lovingly being greeted by her brother Jack and sisters Peggy and Pat who proceeded her in death.
A graveside service will be held March 15, 2019, at 2 p.m. at the Wynoochee Cemetery, to be followed by a small gathering at the Montesano Presbyterian Church.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Seattle Children’s Hospital.
As the ole Irish saying goes, “Here’s to beefsteak when you’re hungry, whiskey when you’re dry, all the blessings you’ll ever want, and heaven when you die.” We love you lots mom. See you on the other side.
Arrangements are entrusted to Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, Washington.
