EARL N. BENNETT

Earl Norman Bennett, 39, died at his home in Palmer on July 10, 2004, of complications from diabetes.

A celebration-of-life service with a visitation following was held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13, 2004, at Farm Loop Christian Center, with Pastor John Wilson officiating. The graveside services will be held July 19, 2004, at 1 p.m., at Ft. Richardson National Cemetery. Pallbearers are Benjamin Wilson, Blue Price, Joshua Dakutak, Jacob Hartman, Bruce Bass, Rob Luzader and Jeremiah Bass.

Mr. Bennett was born April 13, 1965, in Newark, N.Y., where he graduated from high school in 1983. He made Alaska his home in 1988. He worked as a driver for Laidlaw School Bus Co. in Anchorage and Palmer from 1992 to 1997 and completed two years of college there from 1993 to 1995.

In 1994, he moved to Palmer, where he took CDL driver training and worked as a self-contracted truck driver until 2000. Palmer was his home for the last 10 years. He was a member of Farm Loop Christian Center.

His family wrote: "Earl enjoyed fixing 4X4s and the family snowplow, playing on his 4X4 at Jim Creek, fishing, and being with his family and friends.

"Earl was a good husband, father, brother, and friend. He had a very "weird" sense of humor. He enjoyed his life and lived it to its fullest. He loved the Lord and we will miss him dearly."

Mr. Bennett is survived by his wife, Karen Bennett; six children, Ben, Tisha, Anastazia, Vanessa, Lisa and Hailee, all of Alaska; a sister, Kelly Clark; niece, Stephanie Clark; and nephew, Jonathan Clark, all of Villa Grove, Ill. He was preceded in death by a grandmother, Dorothy Wiechinthan; grandfather, Gordon Stanton; both grandparents on his father's side, Mr. & Mrs. Bennett; a son, Carl Williams; his father, Carl Bennett, and his mother, Betty Lou Stanton.

Memorial donations may be made in Mr. Bennett's honor, to the family, at Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.