Obit: Bennett, Delores A. (1950 - 2010)

Poster: Robert Lipprandt

Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Bennett, Dixon, Gengler, Haroldson, Krug, Lingen, Metz, Minter, Sandquist, Small, Swenson

----Source: The Star News (Medford, Taylor Co., Wisconsin) Thursday, January 28, 2010, online edition

Bennett, Delores A. (June 17, 1950 - January 3, 2010)

A visitation and memorial service were held on January 4 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Atkinson for Delores "Dee" A. Bennett, 59, who passed away peacefully at home in Fort Atkinson on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010.

A private ceremony with personal tributes and memories was held at the residence on January 5, with burial following at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Atkinson. An open house for friends and family was held after interment.

Dee was a compassionate hospice nurse, and during her journey and courageous battle she was surrounded by all those whose lives she had touched.

We were so privileged to have her at home and for her to be where she wanted to be during her illness. Her will to live for family time was greatly giving.

Dee was visited and cared for by her hospice staff family and attended to by her loving husband. Her sister Sharon, also gave Dee special time in these months of her illness. She was a comforting teacher to colleagues, patients, patients' families and to her family, unselfishly giving herself to those in need.

Dee's passionate care for her patients gave them dignity and end-of-life comfort. Her amazing grace through 3-1/2 years confronting cancer was testimony of her love of life and faith.

She is dearly missed and always will be, but will never diminish in our hearts or minds. Dee was a servant to family and friends, and will always be a servant of God. Our profound loss is a tribute to her calming presence and love.

Dee was born June 17, 1950, to Burdette and Florence (Sandquist) Swenson in Tomahawk. She attended Prentice High School, graduated from Taylor County Teacher's College in 1970 and taught fourth grade for two years in the Edgar School District. She went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, graduating with a bachelor's degree in nursing in 1975. Dee was a school nurse in Cumberland for seven years, and later served as a school nurse for Fort Atkinson Home Health Agency, serving Deerfield and Cambridge.

Her most fulfilling and rewarding years as a nurse and teacher were at Rainbow Hospice Care in Jefferson, where she served as a registered nurse case manager for more than 10 years. She was loved and respected by the medical community as well as her patients and families.

Dee married Michael L. Bennett of Fort Atkinson on March 1, 1996 at St. John's Community Church in Fort Atkinson.

Dee enjoyed quilting, creating memory albums for family, traveling with Mike, and family gatherings, as well as spending time on their property near Tomahawk.

She is survived by her husband, Mike; mother, Florence Swenson of Medford; a son, Daniel (Kristin Minter) Lingen of Eau Claire; two daughters, Kelly (Robert) Small of Janesville and Erin (Kent) Haroldson of Mount Horeb; grandchildren, Theodore and Violet Small of Janesville; stepgrandchildren, Steven and Jesse Haroldson of Mount Horeb; stepchildren, Jason Bennett and Joshua Bennett, both of Fort Atkinson; sisters, Gloria (Gene) Krug of Medford and Sharon Metz Gengler of Stetsonville; brother, Michael (Vicki) Swenson of Colorado; brother-in-law, Dennis (Jan) Bennett of Catawba, N.C.; and sister-in-law, Susan (Les) Dixon of Geneva, Ill.

She was preceded in death by her father, Burdette of Brantwood; father-in-law Kenneth Bennett and mother-in-law, Esther Bennett of Fort Atkinson; and brother-in-law, Ronald Gengler of Medford.

Messages of condolence and support for Dee and family were posted at CaringBridge.org.
Memorials or donations in Dee's name may be sent to Rainbow Hospice, 147 W. Rockwell, Jefferson, WI 53549.