Charles Robert Bennett III
Charles R. “Bob” Bennett III, 83, of Midway, passed away Friday, January 27, 2023, in St. Clair Hospital, with his family by his side. He was born October 24, 1939, in New Eagle, a son of Charles R. Bennett Jr. and Ada Clark Bennett.
Bob graduated from Midway High School in 1959. He was an exceptional athlete while in high school, where he was a running back and defensive back on the football team. During his scholastic career, he helped the Midway Blue Knights to the 1956 WPIAL Championship and was named an All-County running back for two years. He was also an outstanding performer in Track and Field, competing in the 100-yard dash and 880-yard relay, qualifying and placing in the WPIAL and PIAA state final meets.
Bob was drafted into the United States Army, serving in active duty from 1963-1965, attaining the rank of Specialist 4th Class and expert classification in rifle and carbine. During his time in the military, he served as a generator operator at the ARADCOM in Newhall, Calif.
Bob worked for 24 years at Woodville State Hospital in Collier Township as a warehouse manager. He then worked for 16 years at the Charles E. Kelley Support Facility in Oakdale for the Army Corps of Engineers, retiring in 2001.
On September 25, 1971, he married Donna Masquelier Bennett, with whom he spent over 51 loving years of marriage.
Bob was a member of McDonald Presbyterian Church, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He was a charismatic, devoted and loyal family man, who enjoyed automobiles, hunting, golfing, cutting grass, problem solving, storytelling, and just ‘shootin’ the breeze’. He was an ardent football fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Westminster Titans, Fort Cherry Rangers, and Burgettstown Blue Devils.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Linsey Bennett.
Bob leaves behind his cherished wife, Donna; son, Mike (Denise) McCarty of Burgettstown; daughter, Dana (Tony) Colicchie of McDonald; son, Robert (Alison) Bennett of Midway; his grandchildren, Rebekah and Colton Bennett, who he absolutely adored and were his pride and joy. He also leaves behind his sister, Sharol Casada of St. Louis; special friends, Albert and Naomi Ruschell; many nieces and nephews, and many, many friends whom he met along the way.
Family will receive friends from 12 to 3 and 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, February 2, in Nation Funeral Home Inc., 220 E. Lincoln Avenue, McDonald, PA 15057, where services will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, February 3.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Foundation.