Bennett, Donald Casad, 1910-1984.

Donald Casad Bennett was born March 30, 1910 in El Paso, TX to Gertrude Casad, daughter of Thomas Casad and Sarah Van Winkle, and Joseph Francis Bennett II, son of Col. Joseph F. Bennett and Dolores 'Lola' Patton. Donald spent his early years on the family farm outside of Canutillo, Texas. After living in Mexico for a few years, the family returned to El Paso where Donald attended high school, graduating in 1927. Donald attended the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, 1930-1931. After college, he returned to help run the family farm in Canutillo. In 1934, he married Mildred Clough, with whom he would have one daughter, Jari Carol Bennett Grimm born in 1943. During World War II, he was employed to train Navy cadets in Kerrville, Texas. He was then inducted into the Army at Fort Bliss, Texas. After his discharge, Donald returned to Las Cruces. NM. After the death of Mildred in 1949, Jari went to live with her Aunt Marguerite Bennett Sigal and Uncle Albert Sigal in California. Donald farmed in Dell City, Texas until 1966. He was briefly married to Frances Kyle from 1952 to 1953. In 1954, he married Ruth Kaechele. She and Donald had two sons, Donald Jr. born December 12, 1954, and Joseph born January 23, 1956. Ruth and Donald divorced in 1966. On April 1, 1975, Donald married Ellen Light. They remained in El Paso, Texas. Donald died in 1984 in El Paso and is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Las Cruces, NM. Ellen died in El Paso in 1987.