Obituary of Maureen G. Bennett

Maureen G. Bennett, 72, of Lakewood passed away surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, September 16, 2018.  Maureen was born and raised in Jersey City, and had lived in Avon and Brick before settling in Lakewood in 2011.    She treasured her grandchildren and had a special relationship with each and every one of them, which included rooting them on at sporting events and encouraging their academic accomplishments.  Maureen was a woman proud of her Irish heritage who made every holiday special.  She owned a home in the Bahamas and was a member of the Mangrove Cay Church there, as well as a parishioner of St. Dominick’s Church in Brick. While raising her children, she volunteered at Bingo every Friday night, was class mom and a PTA member, coached several girls basketball teams, as well as being the president and founder of the Catholic Girls Basketball League for Monmouth and Ocean Counties.  Maureen loved to travel and had visited many places including Hawaii, Ireland, and England to name a few, and enjoyed her frequent trips to Hilton Head, SC and Stowe, VT.  She will be remembered as a loving mother and nana who was a consummate giver and her generosity knew no bounds. 

She was predeceased by her first husband, Michael Peter Hickey in 1971; and sister, Anne Carol Brilinski Doyle in 2011.  Maureen is survived by her husband of 46 years, Louis D. Bennett, Jr. of Lakewood; daughters, Kathleen Scalzo and her husband, Paul of Howell, Carolyn Dillaway and her husband, Graham of Princeton, Michele Bezak and her husband, Joseph of Brick, and Patricia Bellanca and her husband, Lenny of Howell;  son, Shawn Bennett and his wife, Stephanie of Brick;  eleven grandchildren, Kyle, Kelly, Kevin, Devin, Kaitlyn, Jared, Kaitlyn, Paul, Abigail, Michael and Tyler; numerous nieces and nephews; and two dogs, Erin and Chewy and her granddog and protector, Zeus.

The family wishes to thank Shore Pulmonary, with special recognition to Dr. Cornelius Gallagher and Lorraine for their great care and compassion throughout the years, as well as Holy Redeemer Hospice, especially Cheryl, Julie and Chaplain Matt.

Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Friday, September 21, 2018 from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 PM.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend her 9:30 AM Funeral Mass on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 935 Bennetts Mills Road, Jackson.  Interment will follow in St. Catharine’s Cemetery, Sea Girt.  For those who desire, contributions in Maureen’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the Monmouth County SPCA, 260 Wall Street, Eatontown, NJ 07724.  For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.