Honeoye: Feb 12, 1939 – Sept 8, 2019. Passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving children: Brad (Karen) Bennett of Honeoye Falls; Brenda (Paul) Heilman of Shortsville; and Dave (Karen) Bennett of Heber Springs, AR. Also survived by several grandchildren and great grandchildren. Predeceased by his wife Janet in 2017 after 58 years of marriage.
Roger served in the US Air Force from 1956 to 1960. He was the former proprietor of Roger’s Minute Man service stations in Honeoye and Naples and a fan of auto racing particularly dirt track stock cars. Roger was a life member of Richmond Fire Dept. and longtime member of Faith Bible Church of Honeoye.
He grew up in Honeoye, the son of Clarence & Carol Bennett. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a sister – Alice Rowley, and brother – Bob Bennett. After school, he enlisted in the US Air Force and was stationed for a while on Guam, in the Pacific.
Near the end of his deployment, he was stationed at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. It was during that time, he met Lubbock native & future wife, Janet. Their oldest child, Brad was born in Lubbock. After the military, Roger, Janet & Brad returned to Honeoye, NY and started their lives together. In 1962, their daughter, Brenda, was born. And in 1966, their son, David, was born.
Roger was the proprieter of a service station – Arrow Gas For Less, which later, in a new building became Roger’s Minute Man, a very successful gasoline retailer. It sits where the present day Kwikfill station is in Honeoye.
Roger had many interests. He played the drums in “Gary Hamilton & the Northernaires” a popular local band. He also became involved in local demolition derbys, winning more than his share. This led to becoming involved in dirt stock car racing, first as a driver and later as a car owner. He remained a fan of racing all his life.
After getting out of the gas business, he held several sales related jobs. Both here and back in Texas, where he and Janet relocated for a time before retirement brought them back to Honeoye- where they lived out their days with each other and their extended family, in their lovely home on Briggs Street.
Family and friends may call at the Kevin W Dougherty Funeral Home Inc., 8624 Main Street, Honeoye, NY on Thursday, September 12th from 4-7 pm. Funeral services will be held at Faith Bible Church, 9041 Route 20A, Honeoye, NY on Friday, September 13th, at 11am. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Roger’s name to either Richmond Fire Dept. PO Box 469, Honeoye, NY 14471 or Faith Bible Church, 9041 Rte 20A, Honeoye, NY 14471. To send a condolence or share a memory please visit: www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com