Frank Bennett
September 20, 1926 — July 16, 2015
Frank W. Bennett
September 20, 1926 – July 16, 2015
Frank William Bennett was born in Ansonia, CT on September 20, 1926, the only child of Frank John and Geneva Catherine Bennett. His personal accomplishments include marrying his wife LaNita in June of 1951 whom he refers to as “one of the most intelligent and most moral persons I have ever known and whose strength and commitment is the foundation for our large family.” Together they raised nine wonderful children.
He entered Yale University in July 1942 at the age of 15 under wartime schedule of three terms per year after being named the recipient of Charles H. Pine Full Academic Scholarship. In September 1944 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He graduated from the Navy’s Eddy Electronic Technician Training Program where he learned to maintain radios and sonar equipment and served on the U.S.S. Charles R. Ware Destroyer 865.
The destroyer crew was preparing to become a part of the U.S. Armada scheduled to invade Japan in late 1945. But the two atom bombs used by the U.S. in August 1945 brought WWII to an abrupt end and those plans were cancelled. He was honorably discharged on July 26th, 1946.
In September 1946 he returned to Yale University as a junior and graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor of Engineering degree.
He joined the workforce in 1948 and was employed by the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) in Washington, DC, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In the years 1960-1962 he transferred to the Army Ballistic Missile Agency in Huntsville, AL and then returned to the REA in Washington, DC in 1962.
In June of 1963 he received a Master of Engineering Administration degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. The degree was earned by attending night school while employed full-time for the REA and with six children by this time.
The primary function of the REA was to find ways to bring inexpensive electric lighting and power to all rural areas of the United States. Numerous power plants were funded and built, and transmission lines were carefully laid across these areas. REA crews travelled through the American countryside, bringing teams of electricians along with them. The electricians added wiring to houses and barns to utilize the newly available power provided by the line crews. By the early 1970’s about 98% of all farms in the United States had electric services, which demonstrated the success of the REA.
He remained with the REA until his retirement in 1992 as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Electric Program with more than 46 years of Federal Service. During this period he became the Agency’s “Power Man”. At his retirement he was bestowed the title of “Mr. REA” by his staff.
While working with the REA he was awarded the following:
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Superior Service Awards in 1975 and in 1983. The award in 1983 received recognition from then Vice-President George H. Bush and the family was invited to Washington DC for a personal meeting.
• Numerous REA Meritorious Service Awards.
• The NRECA President’s Award (1992).
• Numerous Cooperative Awards including Basin, East River, NIPCO, Central Electric, Minnkota, Alabama Electric, as well as several others.
In his own words he states:
“My proudest achievement was that I was fortunate to work as Director of the Power Supply Division, closely with the Electric Cooperatives in mid-America helping to develop more than 10,000 Megawatts of REA-financed coal-fired generating facilities and related transmission facilities. These plants have materially helped America reduce its dependence on foreign energy sources.
When last checked about ten years ago, seven of the ten lowest cost per kilowatt hour producing plants in the U.S. were ones that I had the pleasure of assisting the cooperatives to develop.”
Frank loved the game of baseball and played softball for one of his hometown teams while growing up in Connecticut. However, his real love was the game of golf and he enjoyed many years as a member of Lakewood Country Club in Rockville, MD. He also lists among his greatest accomplishments, a career five Holes-in-One.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, LaNita Bennett; nine children, Karen Silverstein and husband Robert of Honolulu, HI; Janet Ford and husband John of Gaithersburg, MD; Frank J. Bennett and wife Mary of Olney, MD; David Bennett and wife Renee of New Market, MD; Robert Bennett of Gaithersburg, MD; Kenneth Bennett of New York, NY; Richard Bennett and Sheri Barun of Damascus, MD, Timothy Bennett and wife Kim of Mount Airy, MD; Gretchen Harris and husband Matt of Mount Airy, MD, and 12 grandchildren.
September 20, 1926 – July 16, 2015
Frank William Bennett was born in Ansonia, CT on September 20, 1926, the only child of Frank John and Geneva Catherine Bennett. His personal accomplishments include marrying his wife LaNita in June of 1951 whom he refers to as “one of the most intelligent and most moral persons I have ever known and whose strength and commitment is the foundation for our large family.” Together they raised nine wonderful children.
He entered Yale University in July 1942 at the age of 15 under wartime schedule of three terms per year after being named the recipient of Charles H. Pine Full Academic Scholarship. In September 1944 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He graduated from the Navy’s Eddy Electronic Technician Training Program where he learned to maintain radios and sonar equipment and served on the U.S.S. Charles R. Ware Destroyer 865.
The destroyer crew was preparing to become a part of the U.S. Armada scheduled to invade Japan in late 1945. But the two atom bombs used by the U.S. in August 1945 brought WWII to an abrupt end and those plans were cancelled. He was honorably discharged on July 26th, 1946.
In September 1946 he returned to Yale University as a junior and graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor of Engineering degree.
He joined the workforce in 1948 and was employed by the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) in Washington, DC, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In the years 1960-1962 he transferred to the Army Ballistic Missile Agency in Huntsville, AL and then returned to the REA in Washington, DC in 1962.
In June of 1963 he received a Master of Engineering Administration degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. The degree was earned by attending night school while employed full-time for the REA and with six children by this time.
The primary function of the REA was to find ways to bring inexpensive electric lighting and power to all rural areas of the United States. Numerous power plants were funded and built, and transmission lines were carefully laid across these areas. REA crews travelled through the American countryside, bringing teams of electricians along with them. The electricians added wiring to houses and barns to utilize the newly available power provided by the line crews. By the early 1970’s about 98% of all farms in the United States had electric services, which demonstrated the success of the REA.
He remained with the REA until his retirement in 1992 as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Electric Program with more than 46 years of Federal Service. During this period he became the Agency’s “Power Man”. At his retirement he was bestowed the title of “Mr. REA” by his staff.
While working with the REA he was awarded the following:
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Superior Service Awards in 1975 and in 1983. The award in 1983 received recognition from then Vice-President George H. Bush and the family was invited to Washington DC for a personal meeting.
• Numerous REA Meritorious Service Awards.
• The NRECA President’s Award (1992).
• Numerous Cooperative Awards including Basin, East River, NIPCO, Central Electric, Minnkota, Alabama Electric, as well as several others.
In his own words he states:
“My proudest achievement was that I was fortunate to work as Director of the Power Supply Division, closely with the Electric Cooperatives in mid-America helping to develop more than 10,000 Megawatts of REA-financed coal-fired generating facilities and related transmission facilities. These plants have materially helped America reduce its dependence on foreign energy sources.
When last checked about ten years ago, seven of the ten lowest cost per kilowatt hour producing plants in the U.S. were ones that I had the pleasure of assisting the cooperatives to develop.”
Frank loved the game of baseball and played softball for one of his hometown teams while growing up in Connecticut. However, his real love was the game of golf and he enjoyed many years as a member of Lakewood Country Club in Rockville, MD. He also lists among his greatest accomplishments, a career five Holes-in-One.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, LaNita Bennett; nine children, Karen Silverstein and husband Robert of Honolulu, HI; Janet Ford and husband John of Gaithersburg, MD; Frank J. Bennett and wife Mary of Olney, MD; David Bennett and wife Renee of New Market, MD; Robert Bennett of Gaithersburg, MD; Kenneth Bennett of New York, NY; Richard Bennett and Sheri Barun of Damascus, MD, Timothy Bennett and wife Kim of Mount Airy, MD; Gretchen Harris and husband Matt of Mount Airy, MD, and 12 grandchildren.
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