Jean Collins Bennett, 84, loving wife, mother, grandmother and emotional rock to so many friends who knew her, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Wednesday, October 26, 2016, at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA after a short illness. A longtime resident of Berlin, NH and most recently South Easton, MA, she was born on August 6, 1932, in Rangeley, ME, the son of Vernon Daniel and Alice Esma (Ross) Collins. She received her education in Rangeley schools before attending and graduating from Cosmetology school in Boston. Following graduation she started and operated her own hairdressing studio in Rangeley for a number of years.
In Oquossoc, ME, on Sept. 26, 1959, she married her sweetheart, Daniel Rolfe Bennett of Wilson Mills, Maine. She and Dan lived in a house next door to her parents and older brother Saul for a number of years before moving to Cedar St in Berlin, NH in 1969 where they both lived until 2013. She spent nearly four decades doing charity work within the city, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Androscoggin Valley Hospital, heading its Women’s Auxiliary and running its gift shop for close to 30 years.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Dan, now residing in Boscawen N.H., two sons, Scott Bennett of South Easton MA, and Terry Bennett and his wife Diane of Hopkinton, N.H.; one brother, Ardine Collins and his wife Margie of Gorham ME; and 2 grandchildren, Katelyn Bennett Ricker and Tyler Bennett of Hopkinton NH. She was predeceased by three brothers, Saul Vernon Collins Sr., Elden Collins, Ronald Collins and a sister Marilyn “Mickey” (Collins) Thibault.
A private graveside service is planned. The Bryant Funeral Homes in Berlin & Gorham, NH is entrusted with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org) something she cared deeply about.