Obituary

Newton Kansan, Tuesday, January 25, 1977

Judge Edgar C. Bennett, 79, 309 E. First, president of First Kansas Life Insurance Co., died this morning at Bethel Deaconess Hospital.

Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at Petersen Funeral Chapel with Rev. Gerald Housh officiating. Private family interment will follow.

He was born July 16, 1897, at Washington, Kansas, the son of Edgar and Elma F. Bennett. He married Mary Prudence Major, December 25, 1918, at Kansas City, Missouri, she survives of the home.

He served as an infantry officer with the 140th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division, in France during World War I. He practiced law in Osborne and Marysville, Kansas, and served in the Kansas Legislature from 1925 to 1929. In 1932 he began twenty years service on the district bench in the 21st Judicial District. He was a member of the Kansas Judicial Council; served on the committee on selection and tenure of judges for the Kansas Bar Assn.; and served as commissioner to the Federal Courts. He also served as President of the Newton Chamber of Commerce and was active in Kansas State Chamber of Commerce work.

Mr. Bennett was a member of the First Christian Church, the American Legion, and was also a director at the Midland National Bank at the time of his death.

Survivors in addition to the widow, include one daughter, Mrs. John (Prudence) Hutton, Newton; and three grandchildren.