By William Smith
Ron Bennett lived for his job.
He spent most of his 33-year career at Deery Brothers as the parts and service director.
“He was the first one here, opening the place in the morning. It didn’t matter if there were 14 inches of snow on the ground,” said Brad Deery owner and president of Derry Brothers, his voice thick with grief. “He was always the last one to go home. I would have to scold him and say, ‘You can’t stay here all the time.’ ”
Bennett, 63, of Carthage, Ill., died at Deery Brothers in West Burlington early Monday morning, suffering a heart attack while moving a file cabinet. A company driver attempted to save his life through CPR.
Julie Daniels, customer relations manager for Deery Brothers, said Bennett’s death has shaken the very soul of the staff. He was a father figure to the younger employees and a brother to more experienced staff, a friend to everyone who knew him even if they had just met.
“He was always willing to listen to you talk about anything, whether it was work-related or personal,” said Daniels, who has worked at Deery for 20 years.
Bennett started working at the Deery Brothers location in West Burlington three years before Brad Deery took it over in 1990, making him the longest-tenured employee. He joined the staff back when the business was known as Arledge Auto Plaza.
Though he didn’t sport the Deery name, for many customers and local garages, Bennett was Deery Brothers with his perpetually smiling face partially hidden by a bushy mustache.
“He expected everyone to be as busy as him, which was almost impossible,” Daniels said with a laugh. “I hardly ever saw him eat. He didn’t take lunch breaks.”
Born in La Harpe, Ill., Bennett grew up in Terre Haute, Ill., graduated from La Harpe High School in 1975, then went into the workforce. He got his first job at age 14, helping to build grain bins.
Bennett signed up for an auto mechanics class in his sophomore year of high school so he could tear down his first car, a 1969 Plymouth Fury, then rebuild it. Since the car didn’t have an engine, he had to build that, too.
Around that same time, Bennett got a job at Fred Gibb Chevrolet in La Harpe and graduated high school while working there. He stayed on for another 10 years after that, finally opening his own garage.
Though the cost of ever-advancing automotive technology eventually made owning a business unfeasible, Bennett kept up with the technology. A car guy to the end, he couldn’t help himself. He had to know how it all worked.
“He was always the first one who wanted to know about the new technology and was very good with it,” Deery said, dispelling the myth of old car mechanics who refuse to change with the times.
Bennett’s tastes were straightforward, and well known around the office. He loved to hunt, listened primarily to southern rock music, and adored NASCAR. Deery attended some of those NASCAR races with him.
“He was a huge Dale Earnhardt fan. When Earnhardt died, it really bothered him,” Deery said.
Like most humble workaholics, Bennett would have abhorred the idea of a tribute article, Daniels said.
“But we’re going to do it anyway,” she said, her voice filling with mirth.
Ronald Bennett’s family will receive friends during a visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at the LaHarpe Christian Church.
The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 10, at the LaHarpe Christian Church, with Jeff Walters officiating. Burial will follow in the Terre Haute Cemetery.
To view Ron’s obituary online, visit https://www.banksandbeals.com/obituary/ronald-bennett