A memorial service for longtime Odessan Ronald Bennett is scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday at Connection Christian Church, 4241 Tanglewood Lane in Odessa.
Bennett was 88 and was a fixture on Odessa’s arts scene for more than six decades. He was a local piano teacher extraordinaire teaching thousands during his years beside the piano.
In 2019, he was honored with the Friends of the Arts Award during the Black & White Ball. At the time he told the audience (after a standing ovation) that if you give to Odessa it will give back to you.
That was Ronald Bennett. He was always working to improve Odessa and the talents of young musicians. He didn’t care who got the credit for doing great things as long as great things were done.
During that 2019 Ball he was called a “founding father” of the arts in Odessa. His passion for the arts led him to have a hand in most all things art in Odessa for 60 plus years including the Permian Playhouse, the Odessa Music Teachers Association, the Globe Theatre, the Cultural Council and many others.
Bennett told the audience that day he was humbled by “this wonderful thing.”
Bennett was a Jonesboro, Ark., native who came to Odessa in 1959 after earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and his teaching career has now reached the third generations of some families. He was choir director at the First Christian Church (now Connection Christian), and at St. Luke’s United Methodist and Westminster Presbyterian churches.
Bennett wrote numerous pieces for local school choirs and 50 exercises to teach various techniques that are nationally published.
Odessa Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Renee Earls said he was a joy to know.
“He shined a light on the arts and culture in our community for many decades. I can’t even begin to imagine the number of students (young and old) he impacted over the many years, providing voice and piano lessons and lending his talent to many events and organizations.”
Ronald Bennett’s wife of 53 years, Dortha, died in 2016. He is survived by his son, Ron, and his husband, Jim Ring, of California.
