Bloomingdale Bids Farewell to a 'Saint'

For all 101 years of his life, Laurence "Bud" Benett was part of a family. And for at least 57 of them, he was part of a second one.

Bennett's casket was brought into St. Anthony's RC Church by his "brothers and sisters" of the Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Department, of which he had been a member since the 1940s, along with former Bloomingdale Mayor Bill Steenstra, during his funeral Tuesday morning. Bennett, a lifelong tri-boro resident, devoted volunteer and Bloomingdale legend, passed away on Thursday.

His funeral ceremony began with a song that many felt embodied their feelings toward Bennett: "Did You Ever Know That You're My Hero," by Bette Middler. Benett was a hero to many and to some, even a "saint."

"Although, probably, Bud will never officially be recognized by the church as a saint, we all know he was," the Rev. Thomas Hartle said.

Bennett worked part-time as a tax assessor in the borough earlier in his life and had been an active member of the Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Department until 1977. He even continued to assist the firefighters monthly with their ziti dinner.

The fire department threw a birthday party for Bennett in 2011, marking his 100th birthday not long after he was celebrated by the Borough of Bloomingdale with an honorary day (Oct. 14 is "Bud Bennett Day") after being named Citizen of the Year. The borough even decided to rename Woodward Avenue after him. Bennett was also the grand marshall of the Tri-Boro Little League Opening Day parade last year and threw one of the first pitches.

During the funeral mass, Bennett was praised as having touched so many lives and opening his heart to everyone he came in contact with.

"Bud had a demeanor that was quiet. He didn't draw attention to himself," the pastor said. "Bud was committed to doing what was right and proper for others."

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