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Robert Bennett, a lifelong resident of rural Butler County, is being remembered by those who knew him best as a hardworking man with a kind heart, quick smile and deep devotion to his family, community and country.

“I’m a Daddy’s girl,” said his daughter, Florene Walker. “I followed Daddy everywhere he went. That’s how I learned to drive a tractor, a truck — I knew how to do that because I was always Daddy’s helper.”

Born into a family of 14 children, Bennett was the thirteenth child and youngest son. He lost his father as a baby and was raised in a close-knit household where siblings stepped in to support one another, both emotionally and financially. 

Despite the challenges of growing up with limited means, the Bennett family placed a high value on education, with many of the children going on to pursue higher learning. Bennett carried those values into his own home, where family life centered on love, unity and involvement.

“Dad and Mama were very active in the PTA, anything that involved us children — they were always involved,” Walker said. “We knew education was important. We didn’t have a lot of material things, but we had love and a very close-knit family.”

A veteran of the U.S. military, Bennett served his country with pride — a commitment that became a guiding example of discipline, duty and resilience for his children. After his military service, he returned to the land he loved, farming peanuts, corn, cotton, soybeans and wheat.

Later in life, he became a rural mail carrier, earning the affectionate nickname “Speedy” for his swift navigation of Butler County’s back roads. His daughter recalls how the name stuck. 

“This little old lady came out to the mailbox… and she referred to him as ‘Speedy,’” said Walker. “She said, ‘Well, Speedy, I was worried about you. I heard that you had an accident.’”

His wife of 76 years, Ceola Smith Bennett, fondly remembers their wedding day on the front porch of a house near St. Francis Church. 

“I was dressed in a beige suit… and I had all this stuff on me,” she said with a laugh. “He wore his uniform. He looked pretty good.”

Ceola often rode along with him on his mail route. 

“He had bills and that help came up for him,” she said. “I was glad he got it. I went around with him sometimes… He would drive and give me the mail that goes in this box.”

Even with the demands of his job, Bennett always made time for the people he served.

“He was just like that,” Walker said. “Patient, kind, and always wanted to help someone.”

His son, Carlos Bennett, wrote in his father’s obituary, “Robert Bennett… loved his family with his whole heart. He did not just say it. He showed it every day of his life.” Carlos added, “His impact on this world, on his family, his friends and all those he encountered is immeasurable.”

Robert “Speedy” Bennett leaves behind a lasting legacy of service, love and resilience — values forged in his youth and passed down to the generations that follow.