Keith Bennington, Jr., 91, passed away Sunday, June 23, 2019, in Cedarhurst Assisted Living Facility in Granite City, Illinois
He was born January 25, 1928 in Granite City the son of the late Roy Keith, Sr. and Gladys (Gittings) Bennington. He married Joyce Lucille (White) Bennington on June 3, 1951 in Fulton County, Illinois and she passed away on March 11, 2014 after 63 years of marriage.
Keith was a World War II era Army Veteran serving in Korea. He graduated from the School of Horology at Bradley University in Peoria. While attending school it was love at first sight when he met the love of his life Joyce, spending days courting her, cruising around in his cream-colored 1949 Buick Super Convertible. With his degree he went on to perform watch repair in the family business, Bennington Jewelry, and his own business. Keith also worked as a laborer in an aluminum mill for several decades.
Along with his wife, Keith raised his three children, providing many opportunities for backyard barbeques, holiday gatherings, travel across the United States, and dogs to love. He enjoyed attending his children’s sporting, musical, and cheerleading/dance events. Keith was a talented builder, adding three rooms to his original home and constructing many backyard projects. Together he and his wife shared many pastimes including woodworking, arts and crafts, and travel. They loved overseas trips and cruises to London, Paris, Panama Canal, and Alaska along with travel to nearly every state in the U.S. Later in life they enjoyed many shorter trips with the Granite City Park District.
Keith was a passionate dog lover, particularly the Westie breed, and he was a kind granddad to many Bennington dogs. He also had many hobbies that brought him great joy: beer can collecting, creating stained glass items, and reading history. Cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals was another favorite pastime as was enjoying his wife’s delicious cooking.
Keith leaves behind his daughters, Charlene G. Bennington of Chicago and Anna Grace Wenz (Peter) of Springfield, and son, Charles A. Bennington (Deborah) of Granite City, grandsons, Jason P. Curry (Leslie) of Springfield and Joshua McCunney of Granite City, a great-granddaughter, Lola Grace Curry of Springfield, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.
In celebration of his life, visitation will be at Irwin Chapel, 3960 Maryville Road in Granite City on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. where funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. with Reverend Derrell Brame officiating.
Burial with military honors will follow at Sunset Hill Memorial Estates in Glen Carbon.
Memorials may be made to the Granite City Association for the Protection of Animals and may be accepted at the funeral home.
www.irwinchapel.com
