Dr. Judith Bennett
September 7, 1934— February 26, 2022
Shelton, CT
The Reverend Dr. Judith Bennett, 87, of Shelton, CT passed into the nearer presence of God on February 26th, 2022. She was born September 7, 1934, in Portland, OR.
In 1953 she married David W. Bennett and they moved to the east coast. She received a B.A. from Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY, while working as a news editor, reporter and photographer for The Cornwall Local and raising her four children. During her years in Cornwall, NY, she founded The Wesleyan Dancers, a liturgical dance ensemble. They performed in churches throughout the Hudson Valley. She taught modern dance at the Storm King School. Judy felt called to ministry and attended Drew Theological School in Madison, NJ, receiving her Master of Divinity in 1977. She returned to Drew and earned a Doctorate in Sociology of Religion. Rev. Bennett held pastoral assignments at several churches in the NY Conference of the United Methodist Church. From 1990 until 2000, she worked for the Virginia Council of Churches in Richmond, VA and served as Executive Director of The Ecumenical Resource Center. In 2001, Rev. Dr. Bennett joined the faculty at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. Her “passion for the life-giving, life-renewing nature of the gospel” led her to work with organizations that called attention to issues affecting women and children.
Judy is survived by her four children – Stephen, John, Joanna and Jim, their spouses, seven grandchildren, one great grandchild, and her beloved cat, Louie.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on April 29 at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Richmond, VA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to The Resource Center, resourcingchurches.com, or your local SPCA.
Thomas Jacobus Dames, Sr.
July 29, 1941—February 2, 2022
Cornwall, NY
Thomas Jacobus Dames, Sr., 80, of Cornwall, husband of Margaret Fiordalisi Dames passed away Wednesday February 2, 2022. Tom was born on July 29, 1941 in New York, NY, son of the late Jacobus Dames and Lillie Fay Dames, and brother of the late Anne Dames Chichester.
A loving husband, father, Opa, uncle, teacher, colleague, and friend to many, Tom lived his early years in Fort Lee, NJ and married Margaret Fiordalisi in 1967. Surviving in addition to his wife are three children and three grandchildren: Thomas Jacobus Dames Jr. and his wife Debbie, and their daughters: Rachel and Sarah of Hartsdale, NY; Michele Dames and her husband Kevin Jones of Tallahassee, FL; Jeanine Dames and her husband Kevin Berean, and their son Brandon of Cromwell, CT.
Tom graduated from Bergen Catholic High School in 1959 and Manhattan College in 1963, with a major in History. After a few years of graduate school, in 1968 Tom settled into his career as a High School Social Studies Teacher at Monroe-Woodbury High School and would teach there for 31 years, until 2001. Tom continued his career as an Adjunct Professor of History and Geography at Mt. Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY. Among the unique courses Tom developed was AP European History at Monroe-Woodbury High School, and Baseball in American Society at Mt. Saint Mary College. Tom was fortunate to work with incredible colleagues over the years, and he influenced thousands of students by fostering a love of history for future generations.
Tom and his wife Margaret lived in Cornwall for 53 years and served the community in many ways. Tom coached Little League baseball and softball, served as President and Coach to the Cornwall Youth Soccer League, enjoyed coaching the St. Thomas Small Fry Basketball team, including leading them to a championship in 1980, and served as a coach for the high school boys hoop league. Tom also served on the Cornwall Library Board of Trustees. Tom and his wife were also active Members of St. Thomas Parish for many years. His commitment to Cornwall has been memorialized by his family with the dedication of a park bench at the Cornwall-on-Hudson Donahue Landing Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley at foodbankofhudsonvalley.org and Storm King Art Center at stormking.org/support
Memorial Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 19th at Quigley-Sullivan Funeral Home, Inc., 337 Hudson Street, Cornwall-On-Hudson, NY. Due to the continued public health concerns of covid-19, please know that facial coverings must be worn in the funeral home at all times.
A Chapel Service will be held immediately following Visitation in the funeral home. Inurnment will take place privately at a later time.
Arrangements are entrusted to Quigley-Sullivan Funeral Home, Inc.; to send condolences or to get directions to the funeral home, please go to www.Quigleybros.com.