Jay Earl Bennett

Jay Earl Bennett, age 71, of Grants Pass, died Sunday, January 17, 2010 at Three Rivers Community Hospital.

A viewing will be from 12 noon to 12:45 p.m., Saturday, January 23, 2010 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center Relief Society Room, 1969 Williams Highway.

A funeral service will begin at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 23, 2010 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center (1969 Williams Highway) with Bishop Jason Elseth conducting. Private interment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park.

Remembrances may be made to any Haiti relief fund or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Fund at www.lds.org.

Jay was born May 12, 1938 in Inkom, Idaho to Richard Smith Bennett & Ada Marie Wheeler Bennett and was raised on a small farm. He graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. On September 9, 1958 at the Logan Utah Temple he married Judy Haroldsen. Jay worked as a chemist in Palo Alto, California, and then transferred into marketing and subsequently technical sales for the majority of his career. He lived in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, California, and Minnesota and had a winter home in Arizona. He lived in Cave Junction for ten years before moving to Grants Pass one year ago.

He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served the youth, was a Bishop, and served in many other teaching duties within the church.

In addition to his wife, Judy Bennett of Grants Pass; Jay is survived by a son, Robert Jay Bennett and wife Beverly of Wilsonville; two daughters, Brenda Janene Watson and husband Bruce of Sherwood and Kristyn Ann Driscoll and husband Allen of Elk Grove, California; two sisters, Idonna M. Brower of Arimo, Idaho and Lavon Hill of Jerome, Idaho; two brothers, Richard Bennett of Hooper, Utah and E. George Bower of Los Altos, California; 11 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters; and a brother.