Richard  Ivan Bennett was born on November 23, 1951 in Washington County to the late Willie R. Bennett and Hattie Toodle Bennett. He completed his race on earth and entered into eternal rest and peace on February 1, 2017.

He attended public schools in Plymouth, NC and was the next to the youngest of thirteen children. In his younger years, Richard worked for a gas station and at the pulp and paper plant in Plymouth, NC.

He also worked with Armstrong Construction for many years, covering five different counties. Richard was known well in Washington County for his stories, jokes, and riding his bike.

Richard leaves to cherish his precious memories, his only daughter, Laura A. Jackson of Fayetteville, NC; grandchildren, Joanne Moore, Ebony Jackson Hemad (Mohamed) and Antavious Jackson, all of Fayetteville, NC; two great-grandchildren; sisters, Willie Mae Purvis and Linda Downing (William), both of Plymouth, NC; brothers, Josephus Bennett (Patricia), and Earl Bennett, also of Plymouth, NC; and Jerry Lucas of Atlanta, GA.

He is also survived by a special friend, Rita McQueen of Plymouth, NC, whom he loved dearly; a special niece, Renee Bennett and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.