Craig Miller Bennett, 94, widower of Mary Read Lilly Bennett, died Wednesday, January 29 at home in Charleston, South Carolina. Born November 22, 1925 in Huntington, West Virginia, he was the son of Sallie Rutherfoord Miller of Huntington and John Rutherfoord Bennett III of Charleston. The family moved back to Charleston in 1930. Bennett attended Gaud School, Porter Military Academy, The High School of Charleston and Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Bennett left Episcopal in 1943 to join the Army Air Corps where he trained in B-17s. He was deployed to Eye, England where he flew a number of missions, first as a ball turret gunner, then as a tail gunner. In early 1945, his plane was brought down over Germany in a mid-air collision with a German fighter jet. Only he, of a crew of ten, survived. He was taken prisoner of war, and was liberated by Allied forces later that year. After his military service, he attended the College of Charleston and Harvard Business School. In June of 1952, Bennett married Mary Read Lilly, daughter of the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Edward G. Lilly. They had two sons, Craig M. Bennett, Jr., married to Sandra Sheridan, and Edward G. R. Bennett, married to Adelaida Uribe. He loved his sons’ wives as if they were his own daughters. He made a career of real estate, in both sales and development, retiring in the 1980s, but remained active in St. Philip’s Church and a number of organizations. Bennett was predeceased by his parents and wife, and by his siblings, John R. Bennett IV (Jane) of Augusta, Mary M. Bennett Drury (Andrew) of Charleston, and Thomas R. Bennett (Mary Anne) of Charleston. Bennett is survived by his children and by seven grandchildren, Sallie R. Bennett Robinson (John) of Charleston, Katherine L. Bennett Freer (Daniel) of Washington, DC, Craig M. Bennett III (Molly) of Charleston, John S. Bennett (Bonnie) of Charleston, Edward G. R. Bennett, Jr. (Carolina) of New York, Elisa E. Bennett von Marschall (Sebastian) of Charleston, and Pilar U. Bennett of New York. Also surviving are ten great-grandchildren with the eleventh and twelfth expected in 2020. He is additionally survived by his wife’s brothers and their wives, Edward G. Lilly, Jr. (Nancy) and Richard M. Lilly (Lasca), and their families, and by numerous nieces and nephews to whom he was devoted. The family will receive visitors from 5:00 to 7:00 on Friday, January 31 at 26 Meeting Street. A service will be held at 11:00 on Saturday, February 1 at St. Philip’s Church (142 Church Street, Charleston). Burial will be private. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, any memorials be given to St. Philip’s Church Preschool (142 Church Street) or Charleston Day School (15 Archdale Street). Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston
Posted in: Post and Courier
Posted on: 2020-01-29
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