Ralph Albert Bennett, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.T. Bennett, passed away Sunday, January 30, 1938, at the home of his parents at 2017 Nebraska Street, at Sioux City, Iowa, suffering a stroke on Wednesday, January 26. On the day of his death he was 49 years, 8 months and 20 days.

Ralph Bennett was born in Manning, Iowa, on May 6th, 1888, in the home now occupied by Mr. William J. Martens and family on Third and May Streets. He spent his boyhood days in Manning, attended our schools until the age of 14 when he moved with his parents to Sioux City.

Mr. A.T. Bennett, father of the deceased, well known pioneer citizen, conducted for many years very successfully the Bennett bank, now the Manning Trust & Savings Bank, and with him were connected W.F. Carpenter and Frank Kempf. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are both well up in years but still active and well. Today their many local friends extend their deepest sympathy to those parents who in sorrow followed their only son to his last resting place in the Manning Cemetery.

In 1902, the family moved to Sioux City where Ralph finished his education in the public schools and his father in succession headed the People's Savings Bank at Morningside, the City National Bank, and the Bennett Loan and Trust company.

As a mere youth Ralph became interested in the automobile business while the automobile industry itself was still in its infancy. The Bennett family had either the second or third automobile in Sioux City, which may account for the younger Bennett's early interest in automobiles.

After the big fire in Sioux City in 1904, A.T. Bennett erected a building at 313-315 Nebraska Street and there the Wirick-Bennett Automobile Company, started in business in about 1907. This company was succeeded by the Interstate Auto Supply Company, in which Ralph Bennett and Harry Groves were partners.

Sensing a great future for the automobile business, the Bennetts (father and son) made a trip to New York in 1913 to buy the old J.C.C. Hoskins lots on the southeast corner of 6th and Nebraska Streets, with the purpose of erecting a business block which would house the Bennett automobile business as a principal tenant. The Motor Mart (now the Commerce building) was the result. Its brilliant exterior lighting system made it a show place for years. In that beautiful building Ralph Bennett conducted the Auto supply company business for years. He was president of the concern. He designed the Hawkeye truck, and for years his Hawkeye Truck Company manufactured and distributed trucks in the Sioux City territory. Incidentally he provided Sioux City and vicinity with its first taxi cab service. In 1931 he left Sioux City and located in Oakland, California, San Francisco and Los Angeles. He returned to Sioux City about three weeks ago, suffered a stroke and sank gradually up to the time of his death.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, February 1st, at 11:30 a.m. in West's Chapel in Sioux City. The Rev. E.W. Stimson, pastor of the First Presbyterian church conducted the services. Members of the Tyrian lodge, No. 508, A.F. & A.M. assisted in the last rites. Burial was made in the Manning Cemetery, members of the local Masonic order assisting in the services.

Casket bearers were John A. Lewis, P.H. Jones, L. L. Hockett, W.B. Parrott, R.G. Sutherland, and A.D. Wiese.