Erna Bennett

Erna (Kaiser) Bennett, Madison/Appleton, passed away suddenly on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. Known for her loving nature and wonderful sense of humor, she will be missed by all who have known her. Erna was born in Bremen, Germany, and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of three, the youngest of three sisters, the daughter of Johanna and Erhard Kaiser. Erna grew up on the family farm near Manly, Iowa, and then, longing for a more exciting life, moved to Minneapolis, where she became the executive assistant to the president of Northwest Airlines. Several years later, she met her husband, Raymond Bennett in Knoxville, Tenn., where she was the legal secretary for a circuit judge and he was an engineer on the Manhattan project at Oak Ridge. After the war, they moved to Appleton, where they spent many happy years together. Erna became involved in many community and social groups, but is best remembered as an avid gardener, a local golf champion, and a devoted wife and discreet friend. In recent years, she lived in Madison near her daughter, Cathrine (Kitty) Bennett and son-in-law, David Knoll. She is survived by two other daughters, Era Bennett, Cape Cod, Mass., and Susan Bennett, Calgary, AB; and two brilliant granddaughters, Samantha Bennett, Cambridge, UK, and Nina Calantone, Stanford, CA. Memorials may be made to the Legacy Gardens Library Fund, 1601 Wheeeler Road, Madison, WI 53704. Memorials: Memorials may be made to the Legacy Gardens Library Fund, 1601 Wheeeler Road, Madison, WI 53704.