Joan J. Bennett, age 79, of Bethel, died Wednesday October 15, 2014 surrounded by her family in the comfort of her home after a courageous battle with cancer. Joan was born on July 4, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York to the late George and Doris (Tunks) Johnston. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Robert E. Bennett in 2008 and her loving grandson Ian R. Poilovs in 2012. Joan worked as a bookkeeper at Stone’s Color Center in Danbury and retired from the Bethel Board of Education. She was a proud member of P.E.O., the Philanthropic Education Organization supporting the advanced education of women. She was a proud parishioner of St. Mary Church in Bethel and an active member of their theatre group in the 1970s. She was a long time member of the Greater Danbury Women’s Bowling Association. She is survived by a daughter, Robyn Bennett Poilovs and her husband, Peter of Bethel; a son James R. Bennett and his wife, Heidi and their daughters, Cassidy Jewel and Maxine Grace of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA; a "daughter of her heart", Mary Gallagher DeLucia and her husband Alexander of Southbury and their children, Shelby DeLucia Burnett and Matthew Luczak; brothers, Robert E. Johnston and George B. Owen; her sister Carol A. Scholl; step-sister Evelyn A. Haight and numerous nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends on Sunday October 19, 2014 from 2:00 – 5:00 PM in the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Mary Church, 26 Dodgingtown Road, Bethel at 11:30 AM on Monday October 20, 2014. The family would like to thank Bethel Health Care and Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut for their tremendous support. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, St. Mary Church in Bethel or Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut.