Merle Ludlum Bennett, Jr.

Life Member - US Army

​Retired Major Merle Ludlum Bennett Jr. "Mike", 72, of Newnan, Georgia died Monday December 2nd, 2013 in Peachtree City.

He was born to the late Captain Merle Ludlum Bennett and wife Irene Russell, September 30th, 1941 in Wichita Kansas. He attended the New Mexico Military Institute and received a Master's degree in Political Science from the University of Nebraska. He had a distinguished military career attaining the rank of Major. He served tours in Vietnam, Korea and Germany and remained in Germany for over 20 years. Merle retired from active military duty in 1985.

After retirement from active duty, he worked for The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He returned to the United States in 1998 and settled in Georgia where he worked for the US Army Reserve Command (USARC) at Fort MacPherson until his final retirement in 2003.

He was a Model A Ford enthusiast with a lifelong passion for driving and restoring Model A cars and he was an active member of the Southside A's Model A club. He also was a 32nd degree Free Mason and had been active in the Fayetteville Masonic lodge for many years. He was a life member of VFW Post 2667 in Newnan.

While living in Germany, he was a volunteer firefighter in the town of Klein-Zimmern for 20 years, and was very involved in the community. In 1965, he married Frankey Newell in Albuquerque, New Mexico and together they had four sons. The marriage ended in divorce. In 1980, Merle remarried to Anneliese Vaethjunker. Anneliese brought two children to their marriage. Together they had one daughter. Merle never knew a stranger. He was warmhearted, outgoing, and generous. He will be sorely missed by many.

He is survived by his wife, Anneliese; his children, Merle "Kinny", James "Jimmy", Andrea, Patrick, Don, Thomas, Julia; as well as his eight grandchildren, Kimberly, Kylan, Nicholas, Katelynn, Nikita, Charlotte, Soren, and Allison. He was predeceased by his parents; his stepfather, Donald Salmans; and his brother, Randolf "Randy". A memorial service with full military honors will be held at Carmichael-Hemperley Funeral Home on Saturday, December 7th, 2013 at one o'clock in the afternoon. Merle wanted his final resting place to be in his adopted hometown of Klein-Zimmern, Germany. His ashes will be interred at the Klein-Zimmern Cemetery on Friday, December 13th, 2013 at one o'clock in the afternoon. Donations may be made to the Salvation Army in Mike's memory

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