William Joseph Bennett

William Joseph Bennett, 86, of Little Rock, AR, passed away on Friday, October 25th. 

He was born on April 1, 1938, to Otis “Ben” and Eileen (Lee) Bennett. Possessing an early entrepreneurial spirit and imitating his salesman father, young Bill was known to pull a wagon around his St. Louis, Missouri neighborhood selling farm fresh eggs to his neighbors. 

As a child he attended St. Peter’s Catholic elementary and middle school before graduating from Eugene Coyle Catholic High School in Kirkwood, Missouri. After completing degrees in accounting from the University of Notre Dame and law from St. Louis University, and receiving an LLM in tax at New York University, he returned home to St. Louis where he met and married the love of his life, Sally Ann Schulte. 

After passing both the Bar and CPA exams, Bill worked as a tax lawyer for Peat Marwick, first in St. Louis and later New Orleans where the couple's first child, Allen, was born. A new job in international tax for Alcon Laboratories relocated the family to Ft Worth, TX, where sons Paul and Richard were born. He continued in the field of international tax, working at Diamond Shamrock and eventually became the Director of Tax and Risk with Fairfield Communities, a job which brought the family to Little Rock. Towards the end of his career, Bill and Sally briefly relocated to Orlando. Living in Florida, driving his vintage red Cadillac convertible to work with the sun on his skin and breeze in his hair was a highlight of his time there. Eventually, Bill's grandchildren drew him and Sally back home to Little Rock for retirement. 

Bill appreciated a good scotch, a Cuban cigar and was always up for watching an IndyCar race, a Razorback football game, or Tiger Woods playing golf. You could find him working out regularly at the War Memorial Fitness Center. He loved Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings and enjoyed going to see Don Edwards at the White Elephant Saloon. Enamored by Texas life, he even took the oil business for a spin back in the 1980s. His love of Fort Worth and the Dallas Cowboys kept flowing, even when the oil didn’t. His oldest and one of his best friends was his cousin Sam, whose Missouri farm was a favorite spot of Bill’s, a heart home, and one he visited as often as possible. Bill loved the coastline, enjoying in particular family trips to the beaches of Alabama and Florida and trips with Sally to Fish Creek, Wisconsin. A grill master, he was known for his way with a pork butt and a smoked sausage. He will be remembered fondly each time we make Hungarian goulash or stuff a Thanksgiving turkey. 

A spiritual man, Bill attended daily mass and remained committed to the Catholic faith in which he was raised for all of his life. He was a dedicated altar server at the 7:00 am mass at Holy Souls for many wonderful years. 

Bill was a devoted husband, generous father and proud grandfather. He leaves behind his wife, Sally Schulte Bennett, and his three sons: Allen Bennett (Maria) of Boca Raton FL; Paul Bennett (Carrie) of Pine Bluff; and Richard Bennett of Little Rock; and three grandchildren: Davis, Leighton, and Catalina. 

The family will be forever grateful to Hospice Home Care - Little Rock Inpatient Center for the amazing love and care they give patients and their families. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation to the charity of your choice. 

A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church in Little Rock on Tuesday, November 19, at 11:00 a.m.

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Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., North Little Rock, AR  72114.  501-758-1170