Mary Ellen Bennett

Mary Ellen (Tobin) Bennett, 76, of Fairmount passed away on June 19.

Born on February 17, 1950 in Elwood to Orville and Naomi Tobin, Mary was a renowned educator and loving mother, wife, and grandmother. She graduated from Alexandria-Monroe High School in 1968 and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Ball State University. She taught for 34 years at Oak Hill Junior High School where she was known for her engaging way of teaching social studies.

During her career, she met fellow social studies teacher Thomas Bennett and the couple married on July 18, 1981. Mary loved to cook, read mystery books, travel to historical places like presidential homes and American Civil War battlefields, watch sports, and spend time with her family. She was a regular courtside for her beloved grandson - Stone Bennett's - basketball games and never missed watching one of his baseball games on her phone.

Mary was a deeply religious person, having attended a number of different churches in her life. In the last moments of her life when she was mostly home bound, she attended online meetings of The Church of the Brethren in Huntington, Ind.

Mary is survived by her husband of 44 years Thomas Walter Bennett of Fairmount, her son Brian Bennett of Richmond, her daughter Alice (Matt) Piatt of Westfield, her grandson Thomas Stone Bennett, her brothers Maurice (Geneva) Wright of Nashville, Ind., Wayne (Erlyne) Wright of Alexandria, sister-in-law Sally Hoage of Indianapolis, and brother-in-law Konrad Schroth of Richardson, Texas.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents, brothers Larry Wright of Alexandria, IN, Verle (Betty) Wright of Clarksville, Tenn., sisters Bonnie Tobin of Alexandria, Frances (Clyde) New of Alexandria, and Sue Schroth of Richardson, Texas, brother-in-law David (Pearl) Bennett of Gary, Ind. and brother-in-law Earl Hoage of Indianapolis.

A funeral service will be held Friday, June 26 at Armes-Hunt Funeral Home in the Fairmount Chapel. Visitation will be from 10:00-12:00 p.m. with the service beginning at 12:00 p.m.