Greenfield, MA – Fay Emma Hunting Bennett, 101, died November 3. She was born July 28, 1925 at the Fay Farm in North New Salem, MA, the daughter of Nathan J. and Beatrice A. Fay Hunting. She was the widow of the Rev. Ehrmann B. Bennett, whom she married in 1959; they shared 51 years of marriage until his death in 2011.
Fay was valedictorian of the New Salem Academy class of 1942 and graduated magna cum laude from Houghton College (NY) in 1946 with a BS in Chemistry. She became an RN through the New England Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in 1949 and earned an MA, in 1956, from Teachers’ College, Columbia University.
A lifelong nurse educator, she taught science at several Boston-area schools of nursing, designed the Associate Degree Program in Nursing at Castleton State College (VT) where she was an Assistant Professor of Nursing, and taught at the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Portland, ME. She later founded RN Update, preparing more than 600 nurses for baccalaureate challenge exams with a 95% pass rate. In retirement she taught at Central Maine Medical Center and Lewiston/Auburn College and spent twelve years preparing taxes as an IRS-trained volunteer.
As a pastor’s wife, Fay sang in church choirs, taught Sunday School, led Pioneer Girls and championed Christian missions. She loved great music and hymns of faith. With her husband she traveled to 49 states and overseas and devoted time to researching family genealogy into her late 90s. At the time of her death, she was a member of the North Leverett Baptist Church.
Fay is predeceased by her parents; her husband, Ehrmann; her brother, Dr. Ward M. Hunting, and his wife, Roberta; her daughter, Lola Bennett, and a niece, Rebecca (Hunting) Gray. She leaves two daughters: Marcia Bennett-LaPlante (Lou) of Greenfield, and Karla Burkitt (Lane) of Prescott Valley, AZ; six grandchildren, Christian and William LaPlante and Ian (Kelly), Justus (Bree), Duncan and Ginny Burkitt; a nephew, Timothy Hunting (Norma); and several grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date at the North New Salem Congregational Church.
At her request, donations in Fay’s memory may be made to Joni and Friends https://joniandfriends.org/; International Students Incorporated of Colorado Springs, CO https://internationalstudents.org/; or the Christian mission organization of one’s choice.
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