Richard A. Bennett

Goshen, NH-Richard A. Bennett, 82, of Washington Road, died Saturday, October 7, 2017 at Sullivan County Health Care in Unity, NH.

He was born in Newport, NH on May 31, 1935 the son of Richard C. and Doris (Heath) Bennett.

Richard attended Newport schools and after his marriage in 1961 spent the rest of his life in Goshen.  He was a master industrial electrician with the IBEW Local 490 and worked on various jobs with his son, Bradley, who is also a master electrician.  Together they worked at Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant, VT Yankee Nuclear Power and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.  He also worked at the FAA Center in Manchester and various other power generation stations, retiring in 1997. 

Richard had been a volunteer firefighter for the Town of Goshen for almost 30 years.  In 1953 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared NH a disaster area, Richard volunteered and spent days fighting the raging fires on Grantham Mountain that ultimately consumed 1570 acres before it was extinguished.  The erosion that occurred from this fire is still visible.

He served in the US Coast Guard from 1955 - 1959 and patrolled as far north as Greenland and as far south as Cuba.  He was a member of The First Baptist Church of Newport.  Richard was a fantastic vegetable gardener and taught his grandson how to garden.  Aaron has continued planting the garden for the past seven years since his grandfather lost his eyesight.  He also enjoyed carving walking sticks that were then beautifully painted by his wife.  He was a strong man with a gentle soul which showed in his devotion to his family.  He loved spending time with his grandchildren and was a loving husband, father and grandfather.

He was predeceased by two sisters, Jennie Trow and Edith O’Connor.  Members of his family surviving include his wife of 56 years, Dorothy (Gokey) Bennett of Goshen, NH; two sons and their significant others, Bradley Bennett and Frances Carol Ball of Charlestown, NH and Scott Bennett and Karen Cole of Sunapee, NH; and four grandchildren, Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth and Aaron.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 11:00 A.M. at The First Baptist Church of Newport, 85 North Main Street, Newport, NH.  A celebration of his life will be held at  Richard & Dottie’s log home that he built surrounded by all the beautiful maple and oak trees that he planted at 260 Washington Road, Goshen, NH following the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to the NH Association for the Blind, 25 Walker Street, Concord, NH  03301 or the Goshen Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 60, Goshen, NH  03752.

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