Mark Denzel Bennett

Beloved husband, son and brother, Mark Denzel Bennett passed away August 29, 2020 while hiking with his cousin Robin on a trail from Foster Creek to Lost Creek. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Terri Bennett, his mother Ruth Bennett and his sister Vicki Bennett Weaver (Shawn) and three nieces, Whitney Weaver, Heidi Martin and Melissa Martin Jensen (Chase), and one nephew Corbin Weaver. After high school, Mark graduated from the School of Technology as a machinist. He worked as a machinist in Renton, WA, later moving to Kalispell, MT. He worked at Semi Tool as a supervisor of the machine shop. From there, he moved back to Stumptown where he was raised and where he built his home and machine shop. Mark was quiet but could make funny remarks. A deep thinker, he'd wait to say something until he had a really good thought figured out. He was calm, not the least worried if someone made a mistake, no big deal. He always had something big going on in his head while he was quiet. He was easygoing and responded warmly. His nieces thought his bedroom had the neatest stuff. A one-man rubber raft hanging from the ceiling and little machines. He explored everything. He figured whatever happens, happens. Mark won a machine competition in Havre and was to compete again in Arizona but was called to work in Seattle at the same time. As a youth, he worked in Glacier Park in the summer. Mark received his pilot's license at age 15. He bought a Piper Cherokee plane. He piloted a plane of a friend from California to Kalispell and the plane was an old crop duster that hadn't been used for years. He couldn't get the plane to lift and the oil pressure went down. He was flying at very low elevation by mountain tops, so he had to land the plane in a field. There was no radio contact and there were no lights working. He fixed the plane and took off again and flew to Kalispell and got there just at dusk. He would later remark, you have really never seen an elk until you've seen the whites of his eyes. Mark was the third of four Anaconda smelter stack climbers when the smelter was on strike in 1980. He was seventeen and made it to the top. Ian Massey, Lori Massey and Mike Staat were his fellow climbers. Mark's adventures were too numerous to mention. Mark was preceded in death by his father Pat Bennett, his sister Gayle Martin Bennett, his grandparents Leonard and Jane Anderson, step-grandfather Dan Bennett, grandmother Alys Bennett and grandfather Palmer Ode, uncle Dean Bennett, cousin Lisa Bennett and great uncle George Anderson. Mark loved hunting and fishing, motor biking, hiking, gold panning and he loved the outdoors and living in Stumptown. He was good to animals, tame and wild. He passed away doing what he loved. And he dearly loved his wife Terri. Viewing will be held at the Longfellow Finnegan Riddle Funeral Home on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. There will be one hour of viewing before the service at the church. Due to COVID-19 masks are required at both events and there will be no luncheon following the service.

Viewing

SEP 2. 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (MST)

Longfellow Finnegan Riddle Funeral Home 107 Oak St. Anaconda, MT 59711

Viewing

SEP 3. 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (MST)

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1300 W. Park Ave. Anaconda, MT 59711

Funeral Service

SEP 3. 10:00 AM (MST)

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1300 W. Park Ave. Anaconda, MT 59711