MINNEOLA - Jim D. Bennett, 76, died Friday, June 1, 2018 at his home in Minneola.

He was born November 29, 1941 on the family farm near Cheney, the son of Jay Deveraux and Naomi Marguarite (Krase) Bennett.  He was a graduate of Cheney Rural High School and later served in the Kansas Army National Guard in Kingman.  A Minneola resident since 2001, moving from Denver, he retired as a Customer Service Representative for Avaya.

He was a member of the First Christian Church in Cheney and attended Crosswalk Christian Church in Minneola.  He enjoyed having coffee with the men at the Minneola Long Term Care facility. Jim loved to work with the Dodge City Roundup and had Chaired the Liberal Pancake Race.

Family was always important to Jim, family dinners, Saturday night dances, taking his sister and friends to games and shows in his younger days.  He spent a lot of time with his wife and children, as well as his close friends camping, travelling and fishing.  Jim loved his dog, Kea and they went everywhere together in his green Dodge pickup.

He began his career working for Southwestern Bell in Hutchinson and later transferred to Liberal where he met Cheryl Myrick, a telephone operator. On September 13, 1970, they were married at the Golden Plains Baptist Church near Moscow, Kansas. They moved to Dodge City, where Christina and Jon were born.  They made a life in Dodge City until Jim was transferred to Wichita, where they moved back to the family farm in Cheney for several years. When both kids were grown, Jim and Cheryl transferred again to Denver, CO with the phone company. Finally, in 2001 they made one final move to Minneola, when Jim retired to assist Cheryl's mother.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Cheryl, Minneola; his daughter, Christina Bennett, Aurora, Colorado; his son Jon and wife Heidi, Meade; a brother, Jerry Bennett, Clearwater, Kansas; a sister, Jan Rogers and husband Kenn, Topeka; and 3 grandchildren, Dawson, Makayla and Naia Bennett, 5 nephews, 5 nieces.

Memorial services will be at 1:30 pm Saturday, June 9, 2018 at the Crosswalk Christian Church in Minneola with Pastors Brad Kefauver, Francis Kinyua and Dan Bartel officiating.  There will be no public viewing, cremation has taken place.

The family suggests memorials to Hospice of the Prairie in care of Minnis Mortuary, P.O. Box 459, Minneola, Kansas 67865.