Bennett Palmer Spear, 88, passed away peacefully at Veterans Victory House in Walterboro, SC, March 2, 2011, under the care of Hospice of South Carolina after a long and happy life. He was the widower of Phyllis E. (Rundlett) Spear.
Born May 14, 1922, in Lynn, he was the son of the late Bennett Palmer and Doris S. (Wilder) Spear and predeceased by his twin sister, Beth Duprey. As a US Army Veteran, Ben served in the African-European Middle Eastern Theater in Iran from 1942-1944. After discharge from the service, he married and worked for the USM Corp. in Beverly for 30 years and was long time resident of Topsfield and Orlando, FL. He was a master wood craftsman, avid square dancer and a longtime member of the Fairtown Squares of Topsfield and loved to travel. He was also a Mason and always there to help someone in need.
He is survived by his daughter, Gail E. Sunderland and her husband Terry of Hilton Head, SC; three grandchildren – Tara Elliott (Jeff), Tanya Casatelli (Keven) of Raleigh, NC and Todd Sunderland (Monica) of Charlestown, MA. Also, loving PaPa Ben to four great-grandchildren- Jack Elliott, and Alex, Ben and Sarah Rose Casatelli; a niece, Madelyn Foulkes of NH; and friend Andre de Gunzburg of Hilton Head, SC.
A Graveside service will be held Sat, April 9, 2011 at 11AM in Pine Grove Cemetery, Topsfield for family and friends. In his memory, donations may be made to the Hilton Head Humane Assoc., P.O. Box 21790, Hilton Head Island, SC 29925.