Rodney Douglas Bennett

Rodney Douglas Bennett, 87, passed away July 23, 2020 at his home in Melbourne, Florida. At his request a public service will not be held. A private memorial for the immediate family will be held at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery at a later date. Rod was born June 15, 1933 in High Point, N.C., the youngest of 6 children to Cicero and Addie Bennett. His father was a machinist and his mother also worked at several local textile mills. He received his education at Ada Blair Elementary School and High Point Jr./Sr. High School and after his army service, Guilford College. He was a life long reader, an avid historian, and an accomplished Chemical Engineer. Rod followed his eldest brother’s example, and joined the 5th Infantry Division, Army, in 1949, at the tender age of 15. He excelled at boot camp and was then deployed to Japan, at which time he realized he might be too young for that adventure. [He crossed the international dateline on his 16 birthday and always claimed he was therefore a year younger.] The army, upon learning of his tender age, requested his birth certificate from his mother. Unfortunately, she mailed it to them with overground postage, so the army had Rod call Bingo games at the USO for six months while awaiting verification. He took this time to learn Japanese fluently, a skill he maintained throughout his life. Rod re-enlisted in the army when he became eligible and went on to train as a paratrooper. He was a part of the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment, “Rakkasans” (Falling Umbrella) that fought in the Korean War as part of an airborne regimental combat team of the 101st Airborne Division. Rod was deployed to Korea from 1952-54 under the command of General William Westmoreland. There he made numerous combat jumps and served in forward positions during the conflict. He was married to Mona Hull Bennett, also of High Point, for 69 years. They met when he was 13 years old at High Point High School. They dated throughout their remaining school years and married the day after graduation at the chapel in Burlington, N.C., on June 5, 1951. Three days later, Rod returned to Fort Campbell, KY where he was stationed after his re-enlistment, and Mona went to Washington, D.C. to work for the Navy Annex and they only saw each other on weekend visits home. Rod and Mona settled in High Point after he returned home from his service and Rod went to work at 3M Corporation. In 1958, Rod and Mona relocated to Orlando, Fl to raise their family. Rod started his own construction services company, contracting out to various organizations including NASA and McCoy AFB. He later became a manufacturers’ representative with Carboline, an industrial painting and coatings company. By 1974, Rod was transferred to Dubai, U.A.E, to become the Middle East Regional Director for the company’s burgeoning business. There, he began a new adventure in International Sales within the petroleum industry. Rod, Mona and the family had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East, exploring his passion for history. His proudest accomplishment was to be the first American to sell sand to Arab nations. It was sandblasting sand, in fairness, but still made for one of his entertaining stories. Rod continued to work throughout the Middle East, including in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Beirut, and Tehran and later went to work with ARAMCO in Saudi Arabia until 1985. He returned to the states to become the International Sales Director for Pittsburgh Corning Corporation where they lived first San Francisco and then in Pittsburgh. He transferred to Houston, TX in 1988 where he remained until his retirement in 2001. He was an esteemed member of NACE International (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) for 35 years. Rod was most know for his quiet generosity, legendary storytelling, competitive nature, gregarious personality, and passion for golf. Whether it was giving his airline tickets to a stranded single mother or raising funds for a family struggling to get cancer treatment for their child, he never looked for accolades. One Christmas Eve in Houston, the news aired a story of the lack of Christmas presents for the local teen homeless shelter. Rod immediately went to work and filled shopping carts full of clothes, books, and toys. The family wrapped them all and Rod delivered them anonymously that evening. After Hurricane Andrew hit the bayous of Louisiana, Rod got several of his engineers together and they convoyed from Houston with supplies and equipment and worked tirelessly to clear debris. Rod loved sports and rarely missed an Astros or Oilers game while living in Houston. He was also very competitive whether it was coaching little league teams or playing in intramural softball leagues in Saudi Arabia, he wasn’t always a graceful loser. His greatest passion, however was for golf. He was lucky enough to play the historic greens of St. Andrews in Scotland, the seaside courses in California and Hawaii, the rolling hills of North Carolina and even on the desert sand courses in Dubai. If there was a golf course, Rod probably played at least 9 holes and met everyone in the “19th Hole” afterwards. Rod is preceded in death by his parents, his four sisters and one brother and his favorite companion; his dog, Lady. No one doubts that Lady was awaiting Rod’s arrival for a long overdue walk or ride in the golf cart. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Mona, his children Dennis Bennett (Tawana), Birmingham, AL, Donna Prisley (Fred), Tampa, FL, DeeAnne Bennett, Cocoa Beach, FL, 5 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, one grand dog, Lucy, and numerous nieces and nephews who loved him dearly. Cards and messages can be sent to : Mrs. Mona Bennett 4441 Stack Blvd, Apt B216 Melbourne, FL 32901 In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in his name to the Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida whose GRRMF Hearts of Gold Therapy Team that visited Rod regularly at their home in Melbourne. https://www.grrmf.org/donate/