Obituary of Mary Stearns Bennett

Mary Stearns Bennett of The Villages, Florida passed peacefully from this life on September 23, 2021 with her husband at her side. Mary was born on January 16, 1943 and is the daughter of William Vose Stearns II and Elizabeth (Reid) Stearns of Jamestown New York. She married John E. Bennett, Jr. in 1964. Mary was a 1961 graduate of Jamestown High School, and pursued a career in banking, retiring as an assistant vice-president in relationship management at Bank of America’s private bank in St. Petersburg FL. She and her family lived in St. Petersburg for 33 years.

After retiring she resided briefly in Travelers Rest, SC, and then moved to The Villages, FL where she enjoyed golfing, and ballroom dancing. She was a great homemaker and was excellent at traditional American cooking.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents and by her older brother William Vose “Topper” Stearns III. She is survived by her husband John of The Villages FL, her son and daughter-in-law James and April (Nelson) Bennett of Palm Harbor FL, one grandson Jacob, a sister and brother-in-law Tom and Martha (Stearns) Karapantso of Jamestown NY, and her brother and sister-in-law James and Jane (Rose) Stearns of Myrtle Beach SC.

In lieu of flowers her family suggests a donation either to the Cornerstone Hospice Foundation, 2445 Lane Park Road,Tavares, Florida, 32778, or to the Wounded Warrior Project.