Portraits

Portrait of Cecil Delmas Bennett

Born July 6, 1912 in Buckanan, West Virginia, Cecil was one of 10 (?) children of Albert and Esta Mae (Hornbeck) Bennett. Albert brought his family up to Ashtabula County, Ohio, when Cecil was a young boy. Grandpa Cecil and Grandma Margaret lived right next door to us, 263 Daniels Avenue, when we were growing up. I remember Grandpa Cecil as always being a very loving, cheerful, busy person who always greeted me with an enveloping, strong bear hug. Grandpa seemed to know everyone and was very gregarious. As a young man he had an amazing head of curly, thick hair! He was married to Margaret Cline Bennett and had two sons, Thomas Allen Bennett and Delmas Cecil Bennett. I own a wooden chest Grandpa made to store baby things for baby Thomas when he was born. I also own a metal ring Grandpa made while sailing on a ship for Grandma. When we were very young, holidays were always spent gathering together at their large old farmhouse with my Aunt Rosemary, Uncle Tom and cousins, David, Gary, Ricky and Bobby (Kathleen and Karen weren't born yet!).

Before I was born he had worked on his family's farm (and put a pitchfork through a foot as a youngster!), driven a school bus of sorts as a young teenager, worked in a factory and sailed Lake Erie on the big boats. He didn't have the luxury of a high school diploma but he was an entrepreneur in a relaxed way when I knew him. He was a successful business man as part of Tri-Orchards in Conneaut, Ohio, which grew strawberries, apples, peaches, plums, cherries and grapes and as a cement contractor and, later in life down in Florida, as a lawn maintenance man. Grandpa employed many of his grandsons (names? Bruce, Rick, Bob, Andy) in his cement business in Conneaut, providing them with a wonderful skill and a chance to earn good money as teenagers (and to get very fit in the process!). I'll never forget how much food Grandma had to prepare for them all to eat when they came home for lunch!

I was always astounded at how Grandpa Cecil wandered through his neighborhood in Florida, causally picking fruit from orange and grapefruit trees as though he was part of all their households. When Grandma and Grandpa bought a house in Florida and began to spend their winters there, both grandparents enjoyed sea shelling, bead crafts and macramé. Grandpa made me a gorgeous, gigantic macramé double plant holder when I got married in 1977. Of course, Grandpa loved to fish and had many favorite fishing spots and fishing buddies. He also was a shrimper. Their house was a simple little cinderblock Florida home in North Port Charlotte that Grandpa expanded a bit to provide a laundry room. Of course he also planted citrus trees and had a garden. Grandpa's brother and sister-in-law and Grandma's cousin lived in the area in Florida as well. Grandpa and Grandma were both dedicated members of a Methodist church when in Conneaut, and of a Baptist Church down in Florida. They were also members of the Grange. Grandpa remarried after Grandma died in 1991. He and Margot Lewis Bennett bought a lovely Florida home with a swimming pool along a canal. Margot passed away after a battle with cancer in 1997. Grandpa died at age 92 on June 15, 2005.

Bruce Bennett added: "...from down the road, whistling getting gradually louder as Grandpa Cecil walked over to see us."

Delmas (Dad) Bennett added: " Dad (Cecil) was good with numbers and could add in his head faster than others could with an adding machine. He also could measure then figure how much cement to use for a driveway or slab all in his head. He was a natural athlete. Baseball, horseshoes, jarts, ring toss, etc. Even the first time trying a new sport he would win. When in school during math classes he would get the answer in his head but could not show his teacher on paper how he got it."

Rick S. Bennett added: "I loved the summers I spent in Conneaut with Grandma and Grandpa. It was my favorite place in the world. Grandpa would wake me up everyday by hollering up the stairs "Come on Rick!" Bacon and eggs were always on the table when I came down.

Portrait of Margaret Cline Bennett

Grandma Margaret was the youngest member of her family (she was 19 years younger than her sister) and had a nephew the same age as a result! Grandma Margaret was loving, round, outspoken and had a sense of fun. She was a wonderful cook and prolific crocheter and knitter. She loved kitchen gadgets and dishes and I will always remember the rice/marshmellow salad she would make for family reunions. Grandma delighted in children. I will always remember Grandma filming each family event with an old fashioned movie camera and the HUGE bank of lights that went with it which practically blinded us! She loved birthday parties and taking her grandchildren to see children's movies. I think she took us to see The Jungle Book when it came out as well as several others. I will always remember her introducing me as her "only grand-daughter," before Kathleen and Karen were born. She was also the one who alerted me to the fact that I was going to have another sibling – Kathleen!

It was wonderful to have a grandmother minding the Storage Building store complete with a candy counter that was just 2 houses down the road. I remember the pill candy, the wax coke bottles filled with candy syrup and other candy delights that we could obtain just by visiting grandma at the store. I recall going with Grandma to pick up apple cider at the cider mill. It was also wonderful to have grandparents next door, since they had a color TV that got more than one channel (since ours was only black and white and received only channel, 12!). Grandma loved to watch her soap operas (and cuss out the characters). She also loved her little dog, Penny, and later her German Shepherd mix, Sheba that my grandparents inherited from David. Grandma also had exercise equipment which I thought was fascinating as a youngster. We also loved to play in their spooky, old attic and upstairs. I enjoyed reading Grandma's collection of Wizard of Oz books which I have. I think Grandma also belonged to a Gardening club.

Grandma's tiny, hands (she had very small hands and feet) were always busy crocheting Afghans or pillows. I have at least 4 Afghans of various sizes that Grandma made and I know all her children and grandchildren also received numerous Afghans. She also made me a baby sweater for Adam at my request. The gauge was a bit off, so it fit him when he was 2! I inherited all her crochet hooks and knitting needles as well as the unfinished Afghan pieces she was working on when she died suddenly of a heart attack. I always think about her when I knit or crochet with them. She and Grandpa loved sea shelling and bead work when they moved to Florida. She made me several beaded jewelry items when they began migrating back and forth from Florida. She also loved to swim and said she bobbed like a cork.

I remember Grandma cooking huge amounts of food for Grandpa and all her grandsons for lunch when they were doing cement work. She also "hired" me to do some cleaning for her, which allowed me to make a little money too! She was thrilled when I came over to ask her for help fitting the wedding dress I was making. She got a kick out my horse, Comanche, actually entering their house one day through the front door. He had been staked out in their front lawn to eat the grass and invited himself in! I also remember Grandma's fascinating and fun 3 wheeled tricycle that she had in Florida. Both she and Grandpa were amazing snorers and sleeping in the same room was just about impossible as I found out when I was 12! She was a good story teller and a dedicated letter writer. Laundry was always something she mentioned in every letter it seemed! Grandma died in 1991.

Bruce Bennett added: "...a grandma that even at an early age neatly fit under my chin as I hugged her."

Delmas Bennett (Dad) added: "Mom (Margaret) was tender hearted and would nurse a pet or person all she could. She had strong opinions and it was very hard to change her mind. She loved holidays and parties even if it made lots more work for her. Seems we always had relatives living with us. There were no facilities for long term care for needs so the families took care of each other.

Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, children etc. all were welcome if a place to stay was needed. Mom also loved to cook and could feed a large crowd. She loved to do stage monologs at Conneaut Little Theater. She usually had women friends that were older. I think this was because all her sisters were so much older than her."

Rick S. Bennett added: I loved the summers I spent in Conneaut with Grandma and Grandpa. It was my favorite place in the world. Grandpa would wake me up every day by hollering up the stairs "Come on Rick!" Bacon and eggs were always on the table when I came down.

Please post your memories of Cecil and Margaret!