Saturday, May 14, 2016
Cool Video's of Crisse Bennett - Interviews etc.
Crisse Bennett - Edmonds Musuem Board Interview 2012? While at Brighton Court, Lynnwood WA.
Lynnwood, WA.
Toes in the Sand
CLARISSE LOUISE BENNETT -- (1929 - 2016)
Clarisse Bennett, "Crisse," 86, of Edmonds,
Washington passed away peacefully Wednesday May 4, 2016, a t the Better Living
Retreat in Edmonds, Washington.
Crisse was born May 8, 1929 in Brockton, Massachusetts to
Ernest and Elena Goulder. She was
preceded in death by her brother, Preston Goulder and survived by her sister,
Jeanne Long, of Everett, Washington. Crisse
was preceded in death by her husband, Chester R. Bennett (1988), and daughter,
Leslie J. Butterfield (2001) of Edmonds.
Crisse is survived by her sons, Geoffrey B. Bennett and
Cyndie (Edmonds), Peter W. Bennett and Leeanne (Edmonds), Leigh P. Bennett and
Mary (Edmonds), Richard H. Bennett and Kiki (New York, N. Y.) and Alexander C.
Bennett (San Diego, Calif.) Crisse's grandchildren
include: Whitney Bennett (Seattle, Wash.), Ralf and Cassie, his wife, Bennett
(California) Nate Bennett (Seattle), Alex Claire Butterfield (Seattle), Andy
Bennett (Seattle), Blair Bennett (Edmonds), Blake Bennett (Edmonds), Max
Bennett (Edmonds), Sydney Bennett (Edmonds) Nicolas Bennett (California) Lexie
Bennett (Florida).
Crisse lived most of her life in the state of Washington as
her father was a Methodist minister while her mother served as the church
organist. The young family grew to three children as her parents served in
several Methodist churches including Des Moines, Tacoma, Spokane, Pullman,
Moscow, Idaho and Salem, Oregon. As a young girl, she very soon showed ability
as an artist which would be her passion with her intention to pursue the study
of art in college. In the mid 1930's her mother often entered her sketches into
national art contests where she usually won.
After graduating from Moscow High School she attended University of
Idaho for freshmen year, spent two years at Oberlin College and her final year
back at University of Idaho where she was a couple credits shy of her degree in
Fine Arts. It was in her final year that she met and was married to Chet
Bennett who was a senior at Washington State College. Shortly, after their
marriage in Moscow, Idaho they would move to Oakland, California where Chet
would attend law school at Hastings College in San Francisco. Upon finishing
law school (1954) they would then move to Edmonds to settle and raise a family
of six children.
On and off during the early years of raising a family,
Crisse sought out moments to once again resume her passion for art which was
primarily water coloring and sketching. The family joined the Hughes Memorial Methodist
church, as Crisse began to seek out the small town art world of Edmonds. As a
long-time member of the Edmonds Methodist Church she was the "go to"
person for art work on so many different projects from cookbook covers, flyers
and the Madonna that once adorned the north end of the church at Christmas time.
In the mid 1950's Crisse joined the local Edmonds Music and
Arts Club and slowly returned to her art. She was one of the original members
of the artists who organized and started the Edmonds Art Festival, served on
the City of Edmonds Art Commission and won awards for her artwork which
included first place for the Edmonds Arts Festival Poster (1985). Additionally,
she was key in helping start Gallery North in Edmonds and her paintings were
among the top sellers. Lastly, beginning in the 1980's, she was a member of a
small Watercolor Artist Group known as the "Quintessence"
(Bainbridge, Rutter, Reeves, Stancik, and Bennett). Several of her paintings continue to be found
in the City of Edmonds Municipal building.
In 1970 Crisse did finish and obtain her college degree
in Fine Arts through the University of Washington, as a Husky, earning her B.A.
of Fine Arts despite the fact that her husband and six children had all earned BA's
in History from Washington State University... " Go Cougs""
Camping as a family and spending time in and around Mount
Rainier, San Juan Islands, Mt St. Helens, the Olympics and ocean beaches near
Ocean Park, Washington were among her very favorite summer time destinations.
Crisse loved Edmonds and especially enjoyed summer days
painting and sketching at the local Edmonds beaches with her toes in the warm
sand while her children played. She will
be missed by her family, the arts community, her many book clubs and her dear
friends, past and present, at the Edmonds United Methodist Church.
The memorial service will be held at the Edmonds United
Methodist Church at 928 Caspers Street in
Edmonds, Saturday May 28, 2016, at 2:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Edmonds
United Methodist Church Food Bank.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)