Longtime Claremont resident Mary Carolyn Bennett died peacefully on July 11, 2012, surrounded by family.

Born in Lakewood, Ohio on July 15, 1933, shortly thereafter Mrs. Bennett moved with her family to Bay Village, Ohio where she grew up. In 1951, she graduated from Bay Village High School followed by attending Denison University for one year.

On July 12, 1952 she married Chittenden “Chick” Bennett in Bay Village, and they moved to Pasadena in December of the same year. They next moved to Claremont where they have resided for the past 52 years.

For 29 years, Mrs. Bennett was an administrative assistant in the music department of Claremont Graduate University. She loved attending school and completed a bachelor’s degree in behavioral psychology at Cal Poly Pomona.

Mrs. Bennett’s passions were her family, friends, music, travel and reading. She was president of the Orange County Recorder Society, a member of the American Recorder Society and a founding member of the Claremont Early Music Ensemble. Her travels included 2 trips to Europe with the recorder ensemble, Aix in France and Sienna in Italy.

Mrs. Bennett is survived by her husband of 60 years, Chick Bennett of Claremont; her 4 children, Julie, Robin, Elliot and Bonnie; her grandson, Justin; and her sister, Emily Farnsworth of Belmont, Massachusetts.

A private, family memorial will be held, and a public celebration of Mrs. Bennett’s life will take place at 1 p.m. on September 16, 2012 at Todd Memorial Chapel, 325 N. Indian Hill Blvd., Claremont.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Cal Poly Pomona, the American Recorder Society or the Claremont Symphony Orchestra.