Carol Jean Bennett

Carol Jean Bennett 75, a longtime resident of Marlborough passed away Tuesday December 29th. Carol was born and raised in New London CT in 1945. Growing up near Ocean Beach, she loved walking the boardwalk and attending sock hops and music concerts held there in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Carol could do (and teach) every fad dance craze of that era. She loved her hometown and embraced the spirit of summer fun of a nostalgic gone by era. Carol had a wonderful sense of humor and a feistiness to live life. Years ago, she saw two “hoodlums” attack and try to mug her mother as she stood on a street corner. Well, the 4’11, 106 pound Carol jumped on their backs and beat them off with a trash can lid, earning the moniker “The Bank Street Brawler”. In a moment of kismet, Carol the city girl met a deep voiced rugged soft hearted country boy from the deep woods of Maine when he came to Connecticut to visit a friend. Dennis and Carol were pretty much inseparable from that point on. Carol and Dennis raised their son, Danny in Marlborough and often returned to Maine for holidays and vacations until they moved back to Jackman Maine permanently in the early 1990’s. Unexpectedly, Dennis passed away in 2019. Valiant as she was, life without Dennis was something she was not prepared for. Carol was a proud, loving and doting grandmother to 3 grandsons, Deron of Manhattan NY, Jack of Old Saybrook and Zack of Colchester. She held a special place in her heart for her daughter in law Jenny, who took special care of her after she moved back to Connecticut briefly, before her passing. Carol also leaves behind her sister Terry, and brothers Michael and Bobby. She was predeceased by her sister Dottie and brother Donald. She had great affection for dozens of nieces, nephews, sister and brother in laws. They will all remember her fondly for her consistent endearing question “Hello, it’s just me…. What are you doing”? Carol worked for many years as the manager of the old Sunshine Dairy Farms and Town Food markets in Marlborough. She was responsible for giving a generation of kids from Marlborough their very first job in the early 70’s through the early 80’s (and for a few of them, their first experience being fired). She loved having local kids work for her. She was not only their first boss, but a listening ear, matchmaker and second mother to many. She loved Marlborough and it seemed she knew everyone who lived in it. She and Dennis had many dear friends from that town, and together they made special memories of playing cards, cookouts, pickup softball games, fishing and just sitting on porches making people laugh. With great pride she was part of the planning committee that put on the huge town wide celebration and party in 1976 for the Bicentennial. Carol and Dennis moved back to his hometown of Jackman Maine; that wonderful small town surrounded by lakes and mountains. There she developed loving friendships and enjoyed the kindness and closeness of its residents. When they met in the 1960’s Dennis shared his love of country music with Carol. So, that is why above, there is a stack of Charlie Pride, Conway Twitty and Buck Owens albums loaded onto the stereo, a meatloaf in the oven, ice cold Schaffer on the table and they are doing the two-step in the kitchen.

“Together again,

The grey skies are gone

You’re back in my arms

Now where you belong

The love that I knew

Is living again

And nothing else matters

We’re together again”

At her request, there will be no services. Carol will be reunited with her loving and adoring husband, two peas in a pod in a very special place. However, family and friends may make a donation to the Jackman Historical Society and Museum in her name at P.O. Box 875, Jackman, ME 04945. For online condolences, please visit www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.