James A. Bennett

On September 23rd, Toledo lost a long-time small business owner, affectionately known as Jim Bennett, of the former Colony Hardware store on Central Avenue-and his family and friends lost a special man they dearly loved.

As major big store competitors drove out smaller businesses in the area, Colony Hardware managed to keep its doors open for some 45 years-finally closing in 2021, due to Jim's declining health.

Whatever you needed could always be found in his modern but old-time hardware store. Jim took great pride in building a loyal customer base that appreciated his small-town humor, integrity and attention to detail. He often entertained with colorful stories while customers shopped under the watchful eye of Eight Ball, his black lab dog, who once saved his life during an armed robbery attempt as he was closing shop one winter night.

His holiday display of electric trains became permanent, because it delighted customers who came into the store to enjoy the festive atmosphere created by a man who always gave back generously to his community. Over the years, he helped a slew of eager young employees master the intricacies of customer service as he taught them the hardware business from the ground up when they came to work for him.

To Jim, customer service meant getting to know and care about anyone who lived or worked in the community around his store. He kept a dress suit in his van so he could attend funerals or make hospital visits at a moment's notice. His friendships spanned multiple races, religions, and countries of origin. One friend annually provided him with a tray of home-made baclava at Christmas even though the friend's family did not celebrate the holiday. Jim was as comfortable in a mosque, a temple, or a Baptist church as he was in his own Catholic church.

Born February 24, 1937, in Somerset, Ohio, to Earl and Catherine (Gallin) Bennett, he became the beloved big brother to four siblings, George (Evelyn), John (Susan), Mary (Jim) Helmers and Dorothy (Aaron) Hupman. Each one left the small town where they grew up but maintained close relationships with one another through the years. Regular family reunions, punctuated by love, laughter and the sharing of mutual interests such as local history, ensured the continuity that Jim so much valued.

He returned often to the historic Perry County town that claims Union Civil War Cavalry General Philip Sheridan as another of its cherished sons. Somerset held a place in Jim's heart he would always think of as "home." The Holy Trinity Garden Party, an annual church festival, drew him back time and again to renew old friendships.

As a young man, Jim earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton in 1960 and worked for thirteen years at Toledo's Owens Illinois, before purchasing the hardware store-then known as Norton's Colony Hardware-in 1976. He met the love of his life, Kay Wakelin, in 1966, and they married two years later, on September 7th, 1968. While he willingly accompanied her on travels to far-flung places, he was always eager to return home to Ohio and the places he loved best in the world.

Several years after they married, they bought a home in Old Orchard where they lived for the next fifty-five years, raising two daughters, Pamela (Tony) Sacco of Seattle, WA, and Catherine Bennett of Cincinnati, OH, while becoming well-known pillars of the Old Orchard and Toledo communities. They were thrilled to be blessed with grandsons, Gabriel Sacco and James Bennett, and enjoyed annual family vacations together at a cottage overlooking Lake Michigan. They hosted extended family get togethers at their lovely home set in a beautifully tended yard that was featured in annual neighborhood gardening/walking events.

Jim's devotion to business and community meant he was frequently late returning home for dinner. Kay recalls that she would often ask what took him so long to get home on a particular night. It was always because he either got delayed at the store by someone in dire need of a "thingamagig," or he had stopped to help a stranded motorist change a tire-or some similar reason. Jim always went out of his way to help anyone he met who needed help and often lost track of time while doing so.

He once told Kay that the reason he was so willingly to lend a hand to "perfect strangers" was because someday she or one of their daughters might need help, and he hoped some other good Samaritan would do as he had always done-stop to help.

He relished "poker nights" with a half dozen or so male friends who took turns hosting the monthly event, with its tasty snacks and vibrant conversation but negligible winnings for anyone. The group was known as the Bellarmine Club-named for Saint Robert Bellarmine, an Italian Jesuit priest, who favored bringing men together to discuss spiritual readings and topics, followed by a session of comradery which evolved into card playing. Time's passage claimed its members, but while it lasted, it was an eagerly anticipated event for all involved.

A lifelong devout Catholic, Jim was a familiar figure at Gesu Church, where he attended daily mass and served as an usher. He and Kay participated in Gesu's marriage preparation classes for the parish's engaged couples, at which Jim's hilarious observations of married life often stole the show. In later years, they became involved in a program to prepare and serve meals to university students attending Corpus Christi University Parish (CCUP) while away from home. They also were active in Marriage Encounter, among other church and community related organizations. At his death, they belonged to All Saints Catholic Church in Rossford, Ohio.

Jim was close friends with Father Paul Woelfl S.J., formerly of Gesu parish, who passed away in 2006. Father Woelfl was a founding member of the Bellarmine Club and often stopped by the house to share a family meal or a good joke with Jim. The two agreed that every Main Street must have a pub located on it-and when they both finally got to the Pearly Gates, they would stroll down Main Street, find that pub, and have a beer together to celebrate their reunion in heaven. Assuming, of course, that both had escaped "hell's fire."

"Hell's fire!" was one of Jim's favorite expressions, as in "Hell's fire! Good to see you." He would then vigorously shake your hand until, as many young family members will relate, your whole body shook, and everyone dissolved into laughter.

No snapshot of Jim's life would be complete without mentioning his love for fast sport cars (especially Corvettes) or his fondness for licorice (Good 'N Plenty), Lipton tea, Rolling Rock beer, hand-cranked vanilla ice cream, cherry pie, popping corn just right, attending tractor pulls, taking naps, or teaching a loved one how to drive a stick shift or fix something that needed fixing. One of his favorite things was hanging out with his grandsons, whenever he had the chance.

Jim will be sorely missed by all who knew him and he will forever be loved and cherished for masterfully playing his most important roles in this life: Son, Brother, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Uncle, In-law ... and friend.

Hell's fire, Jim ... thanks for the memories. We will never forget you.

Visitation will be on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 4-6 pm at Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave, Toledo, OH 43623. The Funeral Mass will be Friday, October 23 at 10 am at Corpus Christi Church, 2955 Dorr St, Toledo, OH 43607. Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery: 5725 Hill Ave, Toledo, OH 43615.

Anyone wishing to make a memorial donation in lieu of flowers may do so to All Saints Catholic Church, 628 Lime City Road, Rossford, Ohio 43460 or the charity of your choice. Condolences may be sent to the family at 40yearsofbliss@gmail.com