Rick Bennett | News, Sports, Jobs

Rick was born on September 22, 1946 in Fort Dodge, Iowa to Richard S. and Virginia Bennett. He graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High School in 1965 and from the University of Northern Iowa with a BS in Business in 1970. He married Pat Ites on September 5, 1970 in Alden, Iowa.

Rick and Pat moved back to Fort Dodge in 1971 to begin his career at Hot Line. He started as a business manager at Hot Line before rising to the position of vice president and secretary. After leaving Hot-Line, he became the owner of several successful businesses including Tele-equip in Omaha, Anchor Vending in Ankeny, and a collection agency in Des Moines. In 1989, he became a partner and CFO at Josephson Manufacturing Company and worked there until his retirement. In 2004, he and his brother Mike purchased Twin Lakes Marina and owned and operated it until they sold it in 2017.

Rick was active in many community organizations throughout his life, including the YMCA. He served the YMCA in many capacities, including serving on the YMCA Board of Directors from 1973-1976, serving as Board Treasurer, and as Membership Recruitment Chairman in 1978. He won the YMCA Youth Service Award in 1974 and won the Outstanding Young Man of America in 1980. He began playing volleyball as a youth at the YMCA, progressed to playing adult volleyball with his friends, and then coaching youth volleyball (both USVBA boys and girls teams) from 1988-2000. He won the USVBA Leadership in Volleyball Award in 1985 and served as a director of the Central Iowa Junior Volleyball Association from 1993-1999.

Rick was also involved in Webster County Development. He received the Investment Award for continued investment in the community in 2001 and was named a Special Achiever for Webster County in 2003. He served on the Board of Directors and was President from 2007-2008.

Rick and Pat lived in Fort Dodge until 1999, when they moved to their custom-built home in Twin Lakes, where he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.

He is survived by his family, wife Pat Bennett; children Chad (Aaryn) Bennett of West Des Moines, IA, Kim (Eric) Lund of Stillwater, MN, and Lyndsey Bennett of Fort Dodge, IA; grandchildren Lydia and Camden Bennett and Connor, Bennett, Gavin, and Andrew Lund; sister Margo Bennett of Albuquerque, NM; brother Mike (Marty) Bennett of Fort Dodge, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Virginia, stepfather Jerry Coates, and brother-in-law Dean Ites.

He was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the church.