Publication Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010

  Jay Earl Bennett, 71, of Grants Pass died Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010, at Three Rivers Community Hospital.Viewing will be held Saturday from noon to 12:45 p.m. in the Relief Society Room at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center on Williams Highway. A funeral service will begin at 1 p.m., with Bishop Jason Elseth conducting. Private interment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.since1928hull.com.He was born May 12, 1938, in Inkom, Idaho, to Richard Smith Bennett and Ada Marie Wheeler Bennett, and was raised on a small farm. He graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. On Sept. 9, 1958, in Logan, Utah, he married Judy Haroldsen, who survives.He worked as a chemist in Palo Alto, Calif., and then transferred into marketing and subsequently technical sales for the majority of his career. He lived in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, California and Minnesota, and had a winter home in Arizona. One year ago, he moved to Grants Pass from Cave Junction, where he had lived 10 years.He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he served the youth, was a bishop and served in many other teaching duties.In addition to his wife, survivors include a son, Robert J. Bennett of Wilsonville; two daughters, Brenda J. Watson of Sherwood, and Kristyn A. Driscoll of Elk Grove, Calif.; two sisters, Idonna M. Brower of Arimo, Idaho, and Lavon Hill of Jerome, Idaho; two brothers, Richard Bennett of Hooper, Utah, and E. George Bower of Los Altos, Calif.; 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.