Joseph F. “Joe” Bennett

Joseph Felix Bennett, 87, entered his eternal reward on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at Bethany on University, Fargo, ND.

Joe, the son of Grant and Margaret (Ertz) Bennett, was born in South Lancaster Township, WI, on July 5, 1933.  He was the sixth child born to this union.

After high school, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving on an aircraft carrier which included three oversea deployments.

In 1958 Joe was united in marriage with Margaret Melvin in Long Beach, California where he worked for Firestone. During this union they adopted Shelley, then Jeff, then had a son James.

He later married Corrine Kohl, Roy and Ruth (Krause), on March 15, 1965 in Winterhaven, California.  Together they managed numerous apartments, a mobile home park, and owned a hotel which took them from California, to Las Vegas, and home to Moorhead, Minnesota.  Joe also worked for Coldwell Banker for many years and retired in 2013.

Joe was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, volunteered for numerous Veterans organizations and will forever be known in the community as “Santa Joe.”

Joe is survived by his wife, Corrine “Cory” Bennett, Moorhead, MN; children, Susan Jo (Chad) Braun, Rosholt, SD, and Timothy Joe (Jill) Bennett, Moorhead, MN; grandchildren, Chase Joseph Shypkowski (Elissa), Moorhead, MN, Derian Skylar Bennett, Moorhead, MN, Tyler Allen Braun, Rosholt, SD, Phoenix Joseph Wayne Bennett, Moorhead, MN, Kyle Chad Braun, Rosholt, SD, and Kody Alex Braun, Fargo, ND; sisters-in-law, Ruth Bunkowske, Fargo, ND and Shirley Orthun, Mesa, AZ.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Grant and Margaret Bennett; in-laws, Roy Kohl and Ruth Kohl; two sisters, Sister Dorothy Bennett and Betty Snider Hoffman; three brothers, Bob Bennett, Harold Bennett and Virgil Bennett; sisters-in-law, Ruth Bennett, Iva Bennett, Irene Bennett, Sophie Bennett, Geneva Bennett; brothers-in-law, Clinton Snider, Clarence Hoffman, Paul Bunkowske, and Phil Orthun.

A visitation will be held on Monday, December 21, 2020 from 5:00-7:00 PM with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 at Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN.

A funeral will be held Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 11:30 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead, MN, with no visitation prior. The service is limited to 50 people and a Live Stream of the service will be available, along with an online guestbook and video tribute, here on Joseph’s page.

Burial will be in Fargo National Cemetery following the service.