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Ronald Lewis Bennett passed away Wednesday, January 15, 2024, in Sherman, TX, after an extended illness. Ron was born in Dallas, TX on July 17, 1944, to Vesta Jack (Bud) Bennett and Octa Mae (Tidwell) Bennett. When Bud was being deployed during WWII, he moved Octa Mae and Ron, who was six weeks old, to Durant to be near family.
Ron grew up in Durant and graduated from Durant High School with the class of 1962. He was an outstanding athlete and football player for the Durant Lions and was named as a National All-American player his senior year. He went on to graduate with a bachelor's degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State College and later with a master's degree in social work from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. After receiving his master's degree in social work, Ron began a long career as a social worker for the Oklahoma Department of Health and Human Services working in both the McAlester and Durant offices, retiring from the Durant office.
He joined the Navy upon graduating with his bachelor's degree and served during the Vietnam War. He was a communications specialist on the USS Arlington in the radio transmission and reception area and had top-secret clearance for all communications. The ship provided vital communications for U S troops in the Gulf of Tonkin. He received the National Defense Medal, The Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal upon his discharge. He was a long-time member of Fairview Baptist Church and attended Grace Baptist Church on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. He loved both of his church families.
Ron was a devoted son; an avid OU fan; a regular on the ski slopes of Colorado and New Mexico for many years; a lover of old TV westerns, especially Gunsmoke, and classic country music. He never met a stranger and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
He is survived by his uncle Fred Tidwell and Jerry Lou of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Aunt Joyce Bennett, Yukon, OK; cousins Carla Hubbard and Ken, McKinney, TX, Don Bennett and Glenda, Marietta, OK; Debbie Young and Robbie, Ardmore, OK; David Bennett and Laura, Grand Junction, CO; Pam Shelton and Jerry, Yukon, OK; Melissa Arnett and Gary, Pottsboro, TX; former wives Jo Ann Waldrop Bennett and Estella Mask; numerous other family and friends.
Serving as pallbearers are Dale Kennedy, Stephen Glenn, Scott Corbin, Chad Carter, Dennis Bragg, Paul Steadman.
Honorary pallbearers are Larry Childs, Jimmy Corbin, Lorne Damron, Mickey McKnight, Bill Rutherford, and Bill Talbert.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., January 21, 2024, at Brown's Funeral Service chapel in Durant, OK with the Reverends Bill Ledbetter and Anthony Williams officiating. Interment will follow at Highland Park Cemetery, Durant.
Services are under the direction of Brown's Funeral Service.
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