Joyce M. "Jo" Bennett

Joyce M. “Jo” Bennett, 86, of Norwalk died Tuesday, July 24, 2012, at her daughter’s home due to emphysema and pneumonia. A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, July 28, at 1:00 p.m., at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 6th and Keo, Des Moines, IA. A visitation will precede the service, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Interment will be immediately following the service at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Jo was born in Decatur, Illinois, on October 3, 1925, to Elmer Gruenwald and Marguerite (Abel) Gruenwald. She spent most of her early adult life in the LeClaire and Davenport, IA area. Jo lived in Paducah, KY, for four years, graduating from the Dorian Private School. Following a year living in Mexico City, Mexico, she returned to the Quad Cities, where she soon met Francis (Frank) Bennett. The two married in 1945 in La Salle, IL, and lived in Davenport until 1961, when they moved to Norwalk.

Jo worked for the U.S. Army Corps of engineers at the Rock Island Arsenal during WWII. She had been a member of the Civil Air Patrol. She also worked as a division manager for Sears Roebuck in Davenport, and as a department manager for The New Utica and Taylors in Des Moines. Later she went to work for the Northwestern Bell telephone company, first as a service representative in the business office, then as a specialist in the Annoyance Bureau. After many years as a senior clerk in the outside plant engineering department, she retired in 1986. She and Frank also managed Wilshire Hills Mobile Home Court in Norwalk until his death in 1971. She continued to manage the property for another nine years.

Jo was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Des Moines, Telephone Pioneers, AUSWR, CWA Local 7102, NWB/US West Retirees Association, AARP, and was a Stephen Minister for her church.

She is survived by her daughter and best friend, Penni Larson and Mel Rotter of Norwalk; son, Kirby Bennett of Salyer, CA; sister, Jeanne Marshall-Pryde of Mesa, AZ; four grandsons, Michael Wiley of Des Moines, David (Leann) Larson of West Des Moines, John Larson of Des Moines, and Alan Danver of Atascadero, CA; niece, Vicki (Gene) Jebsen of LeClaire; nephew Jon Dittmer (Bonny) of Davenport; nephews, Shaun Marshall-Pryde of Bozeman, MT, Scot Marshall-Pryde of Boston, MA; five great grandchildren; one step-daughter, Evelyn Brookhart; several step-grandchildren; and step-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her daughter, Ardyth Wiley, grandson Ryan Bennett, sister Darlene Dittmer, two step-sons, a step-daughter, a nephew, and a niece.

Contributions may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church, the American Heart Association, or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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