Stephen Bennett of Morrow Ohio passed away Sunday, January 24, 2021 at his home while surrounded by family members.

He was born in Normal, Illinois and at an early age moved to Maywood, Illinois with his parents, James Wyatt Bennett and Elizabeth Ruth Joy Bennett and a cocker spaniel named Paddy!

He attended high school at Proviso high school and graduated in 1957. While there he was a member of the swim team and the tennis club.

He worked summer jobs, two of which were for the American Can Company technical service dept. where he developed a new "Tin Plate Quality Control" test that was written up in company literature.

Steve attended college at Earlham in Richmond, Ind. and transferred to Elmhurst at Elmhurst Ill. for his 2nd year. He dropped out of college and joined the United States Air Force. He did basic training at Lackland AFB and advanced training at the school of aviation medicine in San Antonio, Texas. In 1959 he was transferred to Moody AFB near Valdosta, Ga.

He worked in the physiological training dept and taught high-altitude chamber medical hazard of high altitude flight, ejection seat training and emergency seat parachute training.

In Valdosta he met his future wife Patricia Ingram. They were married December 23rd, 1962. To this 58yr union were born two children, Elizabeth Joy Bennett and Stephen David Bennett.

After 4yrs in the Air Force he and Pat moved to Lafayette, Louisiana where he attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana and acquired a degree in Microbiology in 1966.

Upon graduation they moved to Elkhart, In. to work with Miles Labs as a Quality Control Microbiologist. While at Miles he worked full time and also attended Notre Dame University in South Bend and graduated with a masters degree in microbiology.

In 1974 he was offered a position with Merrell National in Cincinnati as manager of their Micro Lab. Here he started traveling and in 1994 moved to Kansas City, Kansas. He worked in K.C. Missouri as quality Assurance Manager. He traveled worldwide to countries such as Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, France, Germany, Venezuela, Brazil, Ireland, England, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Japan.

In 1995 Steve and Pat had the opportunity to go to Italy for two months on business. They had an apartment near Rome and after finishing his business they toured other European countries.

In 2000 they moved back to Cincinnati from Kansas and he worked and traveled from home until the company was bought out by Aventis. He retired in 2004 after 38 years. His company changed names seven times and each time he was kept as their senior global quality assurance manager.

His descendants include Elizabeth Thornhill and spouse, Brooks Thornhill and their daughter, Brianna. Stephen David Bennett and spouse. Michelle Bennett and their children. Jessica and spouse Tanner Schulte. Alisha and spouse Robert Dean and Nicholas Bennett.  There are also two great grandchildren, Thomas and Ellie Schulte.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2021 from 6:000 PM-7:00 PM with a funeral service beginning at 7:00 PM all at the Oswald-Hoskins Funeral Home, Lebanon. Per CDC guidelines, masks and social distancing recommended. Burial will take place on Friday, January 29, 2021 in Dayton National Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Antioch Church at the YMCA, 1618 Deerfield Road, Lebanon, OH 45036 and/or the Jerusalem Prayer Team . Online condolences may be be sent to the family by visiting www.hoskinsfh.com .