Yesterday, I said goodbye to my father Edward Bennett. After a long battle with cancer, he passed in his home in my hometown Lancaster, Ohio. My dad was a proud Army veteran and served in The Vietnam War. While he was there, he met my mother in Thailand and bought her back to the United States. I grew up feeling very proud of his service and to this day, I still have great admiration and respect for our armed forces. I know my patriotism is connected to him. He was funny, he was charming, he was mischievous, and he was a flirt. His laugh was identifiable and infectious. He was a good guy, liked by everyone who met him. He was generous to his family, his community, and to his veteran friends in our town. While there were times in our lives that created distance between us, I am happy that we were so close in recent years. I know it brought my grandmother, his mother, great joy to see us together. Dad, you don’t have to hurt any longer. Rest In Peace. Your son, Ben