James Edward Bennett, Jr. and Kathryn Stroup Bennett
1942 - age 17
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1948
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1960, Niagara Falls, NY
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1999
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~ Remembering James Edward Bennett, Jr. ~
James Edward Bennett Jr., 88, of Scottsdale, AZ, died peacefully at home on Friday, September 6, 2013. Jim was born to the late James Edward Bennett, Sr. and Elizabeth Markham Bennett on July 4, 1925, in Charlotte, NC. Jim and his sisters attended schools in Charlotte until they moved to the Newell area, then just outside Charlotte.
Jim met his future wife, Kathryn Stroup, in 1936 in fifth grade at Newell School. Jim served in the Navy during WWII as an Electrician's Mate. He was serving on the USS Guadalcanal when it captured the only German submarine caught during WWII, and he loved to tell stories about being in sick bay together with injured Germans after the battle.
After the war Jim courted Kathryn, and they were married in 1948 at Back Creek ARP Church where Kathryn's father, Dr. Paul A. Stroup, Sr., was the long-time minister. After graduating from NC State in 1950 with a Civil Engineering degree, Jim and his family, which grew to include three children (Kathryn 1949, James 1952, Wayne 1957), moved around the US and the world for Jim's engineering work on heavy construction projects. Jim loved to travel for both business and fun. Notable vacations included trips to Paris, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
In the early years of his career, Jim worked in North Carolina; Richmond, VA; Washington, DC; Idaho Falls, ID; Niagara Falls, NY; and Thailand. In 1964, he went to work for Harza Engineering, a noted consulting engineering firm in Chicago. The family settled for many years in Naperville, IL, while Jim continued to travel for business to South America, the Middle East, Iceland and other locations.
When his children were older, Jim and Kathryn moved to Jacksonville, FL and then to Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia where he worked for Aramco from 1977-1985. In 1986, Jim returned to Harza in Chicago, eventually moving to Rome, GA to work for Harza on the Rocky Mountain Hydro-Electric Plant. While in Rome, GA Jim was very active in the Presbyterian Church and the Exchange Club. Jim officially retired in Rome, GA in 1994 but could not resist a call from Harza to work on a temporary assignment in China on Ertan Dam in 1995.
In 2003, Jim and Kathryn moved to Westminster Village in Scottsdale, AZ to be near their daughter. In recent years, Jim started a website and newsletter for Harza Engineering Alumni and enjoyed reconnecting old friends and colleagues. Jim is survived by his wife Kathryn; sisters Edith Kirk of Concord, NC and Gloria McClintock of Charlotte; children Kathryn Bennett of Phoenix, James Bennett of Sunnyvale, CA and Wayne Bennett of Dallas; seven grandchildren and three great- grandchildren, including James Edward Bennett the 5th of San Diego, CA.
Jim's ashes are interred at Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
James Edward Bennett Jr., 88, of Scottsdale, AZ, died peacefully at home on Friday, September 6, 2013. Jim was born to the late James Edward Bennett, Sr. and Elizabeth Markham Bennett on July 4, 1925, in Charlotte, NC. Jim and his sisters attended schools in Charlotte until they moved to the Newell area, then just outside Charlotte.
Jim met his future wife, Kathryn Stroup, in 1936 in fifth grade at Newell School. Jim served in the Navy during WWII as an Electrician's Mate. He was serving on the USS Guadalcanal when it captured the only German submarine caught during WWII, and he loved to tell stories about being in sick bay together with injured Germans after the battle.
After the war Jim courted Kathryn, and they were married in 1948 at Back Creek ARP Church where Kathryn's father, Dr. Paul A. Stroup, Sr., was the long-time minister. After graduating from NC State in 1950 with a Civil Engineering degree, Jim and his family, which grew to include three children (Kathryn 1949, James 1952, Wayne 1957), moved around the US and the world for Jim's engineering work on heavy construction projects. Jim loved to travel for both business and fun. Notable vacations included trips to Paris, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
In the early years of his career, Jim worked in North Carolina; Richmond, VA; Washington, DC; Idaho Falls, ID; Niagara Falls, NY; and Thailand. In 1964, he went to work for Harza Engineering, a noted consulting engineering firm in Chicago. The family settled for many years in Naperville, IL, while Jim continued to travel for business to South America, the Middle East, Iceland and other locations.
When his children were older, Jim and Kathryn moved to Jacksonville, FL and then to Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia where he worked for Aramco from 1977-1985. In 1986, Jim returned to Harza in Chicago, eventually moving to Rome, GA to work for Harza on the Rocky Mountain Hydro-Electric Plant. While in Rome, GA Jim was very active in the Presbyterian Church and the Exchange Club. Jim officially retired in Rome, GA in 1994 but could not resist a call from Harza to work on a temporary assignment in China on Ertan Dam in 1995.
In 2003, Jim and Kathryn moved to Westminster Village in Scottsdale, AZ to be near their daughter. In recent years, Jim started a website and newsletter for Harza Engineering Alumni and enjoyed reconnecting old friends and colleagues. Jim is survived by his wife Kathryn; sisters Edith Kirk of Concord, NC and Gloria McClintock of Charlotte; children Kathryn Bennett of Phoenix, James Bennett of Sunnyvale, CA and Wayne Bennett of Dallas; seven grandchildren and three great- grandchildren, including James Edward Bennett the 5th of San Diego, CA.
Jim's ashes are interred at Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
~1940, age 15, with brother Don and sister Mary
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1948
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~1988
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1999, proud Grandmother
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~ Honoring Kathryn Stroup Bennett ~
Kathryn was one of six children (Paul, David, Kathryn, Ben, Mary, and Don) born to the late Rev. Paul A. Stroup and Macie Garrison Stroup. Kathryn was born in Newell, NC, on October 14, 1925. Newell was then a small farming community outside Charlotte. She was known as Kitty Stroup until she married. She studied piano for many years and played at church services conducted by her father, the minister at Back Creek Presbyterian Church. Kathryn and her sister and brothers attended Newell schools where she met her future husband, James E. Bennett, Jr., in 1936 in fifth grade.
Kathryn was Valedictorian of her high school class and went on to graduate from Erskine College, in Due West, South Carolina, during WWII with a degree in science with an emphasis in chemistry. She worked in Charlotte as a chem lab technician during WWII, testing ammunition quality.
In August, 1948, she married Jim Bennett, in a ceremony performed at Back Creek Church by her father. After a honeymoon in New York City, Jim and Kathryn moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where Jim was studying engineering at North Carolina while Kathryn continued to work as a lab tech, this time for American Cyanimid. Kathy, their first child, was born in Raleigh. After Jim graduated as a Civil Engineer, Kathryn stopped working until Kathy graduated from High school and they began a series of moves around the US and around the world for Jim's engineering work on heavy construction projects. They lived in Winston Salem, where their second child, Jim, was born. Then they moved to Richmond, Virginia, then Washington, DC, and then Idaho Falls, Idaho, where their third child, Wayne was born. They spent three and a half years in Upstate New York and then two exciting years in upcountry Thailand.
In 1964 Jim first went to work for Harza Engineering, a noted consulting engineering firm in Chicago and the family settled for many years in Naperville, Illinois. Kathryn went back to college for an additional degree, this time in Library Science and worked at the Naperville Library. In 1977, Jim and Kathryn moved to Jacksonville, Florida and then to Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, where Jim worked for Aramco from 1977-1985 while Kathryn worked in materials management. Jim and Kathryn enjoyed many vacations together including trips to Paris, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In leaving Saudi Arabia for the last time, they drove their car together through Syria and Turkey and Switzerland and other countries, a challenging journey, and one not possible later.
In 1986 they returned to Naperville, Illinois, where they had had a condo for many years, and bought a house. Jim returned to Harza in Chicago, and eventually they moved to Rome, GA, for Jim to work for Harza on the Rocky Mountain Hydro-Electric plant. While in Rome, they were very active in the Presbyterian Church. They officially retired in Rome in 1994. In 2003, Jim and Kathryn moved to Westminster Village in Scottsdale, Arizona, to be near their daughter.
Jim passed away in 2013, and, as of this writing (late 2016), Kathryn still lives at Westminster Village. She has three children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Kathryn was one of six children (Paul, David, Kathryn, Ben, Mary, and Don) born to the late Rev. Paul A. Stroup and Macie Garrison Stroup. Kathryn was born in Newell, NC, on October 14, 1925. Newell was then a small farming community outside Charlotte. She was known as Kitty Stroup until she married. She studied piano for many years and played at church services conducted by her father, the minister at Back Creek Presbyterian Church. Kathryn and her sister and brothers attended Newell schools where she met her future husband, James E. Bennett, Jr., in 1936 in fifth grade.
Kathryn was Valedictorian of her high school class and went on to graduate from Erskine College, in Due West, South Carolina, during WWII with a degree in science with an emphasis in chemistry. She worked in Charlotte as a chem lab technician during WWII, testing ammunition quality.
In August, 1948, she married Jim Bennett, in a ceremony performed at Back Creek Church by her father. After a honeymoon in New York City, Jim and Kathryn moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where Jim was studying engineering at North Carolina while Kathryn continued to work as a lab tech, this time for American Cyanimid. Kathy, their first child, was born in Raleigh. After Jim graduated as a Civil Engineer, Kathryn stopped working until Kathy graduated from High school and they began a series of moves around the US and around the world for Jim's engineering work on heavy construction projects. They lived in Winston Salem, where their second child, Jim, was born. Then they moved to Richmond, Virginia, then Washington, DC, and then Idaho Falls, Idaho, where their third child, Wayne was born. They spent three and a half years in Upstate New York and then two exciting years in upcountry Thailand.
In 1964 Jim first went to work for Harza Engineering, a noted consulting engineering firm in Chicago and the family settled for many years in Naperville, Illinois. Kathryn went back to college for an additional degree, this time in Library Science and worked at the Naperville Library. In 1977, Jim and Kathryn moved to Jacksonville, Florida and then to Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, where Jim worked for Aramco from 1977-1985 while Kathryn worked in materials management. Jim and Kathryn enjoyed many vacations together including trips to Paris, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In leaving Saudi Arabia for the last time, they drove their car together through Syria and Turkey and Switzerland and other countries, a challenging journey, and one not possible later.
In 1986 they returned to Naperville, Illinois, where they had had a condo for many years, and bought a house. Jim returned to Harza in Chicago, and eventually they moved to Rome, GA, for Jim to work for Harza on the Rocky Mountain Hydro-Electric plant. While in Rome, they were very active in the Presbyterian Church. They officially retired in Rome in 1994. In 2003, Jim and Kathryn moved to Westminster Village in Scottsdale, Arizona, to be near their daughter.
Jim passed away in 2013, and, as of this writing (late 2016), Kathryn still lives at Westminster Village. She has three children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.