Ula Eason Bennett Jr. of Fernandina Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 10, 2026, at the Warner Center for Caring at Baptist Memorial, Fernandina Beach.

Eason was born on November 7, 1929, at his family home in Fernandina to the late Mamie Dougherty and Ula Bennett. He grew up there and graduated from Fernandina HS in 1948.

He joined the Army on January 8,1951 and was deployed to Korea. He was injured during a skirmish on January 29, 1952, and received a Purple Heart. He was honorably discharged on August 30, 1956, after serving his last 2 years in the Army Reserves.

Not long after leaving Korea, he returned to Fernandina and married Beverly Condon where they also had their first child. They moved to San Jose, California in 1953 where he began his career in construction. They had their 2nd child in 1958. Eason moved back to Florida after living 25 years in California.
Over the next several decades Eason continued working in construction as well as many side jobs for friends. He was a very active Life-time member of the local American Legion Post 54 and the VFW Post 4351. He considered them all his “extended family”.

Eason loved bowling, billiards, horseshoes and played in a softball league with his construction buddies while living in California. They affectionately called him “Ben” because they could never remember or pronounce “Ula” or “Eason”.

One of Eason’s proudest accomplishments is the family cabin in Lake Tahoe that he built with his wife, Beverly’s father. The family spent many years vacationing there and making wonderful memories.
Eason celebrated his 90th birthday by skydiving with 4 of his grandchildren, 1 nephew and 2 family friends. The Jacksonville News came out and covered the event for the evening broadcast.

Besides watching his favorite team, “the Gators”, he enjoyed anything sports. He especially loved NASCAR. Two years after skydiving, his daughters treated him to a ride-along for his birthday at Daytona Raceway. He had to gear up, climb through the window and get strapped in for a 170-mile an hour ride around the track.

Eason had many other talents. One was being able to talk to anyone, anytime, always making that person feel special and important to him. Whether out to dinner or at the check-out stand, he would leave knowing whoever was helping him, their names, where they were born, what kin he might know or what brought them to “Fundina”. He declared himself “the mouth of the south” and all that knew him would heartily agree!

In his later years he enjoyed playing knock poker with his friends and family, cook-outs, and never missed an opportunity to “cut a rug”. He loved to dance and his California buddies dubbed him “Boogaloo Ben”. His favorite song in recent years was “Proud to be an American” and he was the epitome of a great American Patriot.

Eason leaves behind daughters, Sheryl Usry and Kathy Bodamer, their spouses, Brian Usry and Wayne Bodamer, grandchildren, Melissa Pena, Elyse Larkin, Emily Bright, Garret Bright and Tyler Bodamer and great-grandchildren, Keller Larkin and Nolan Pena as well as his partner Charlotte Graves.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the American Legion Post 54 on Saturday, October 10th at 12:30 p.m.
The family requests a casual beach/Tommy Bahama vibe.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Eason’s name to the American Legion Post 54 at 626 S. 3rd Street, Fernandina Beach, Fl 32034.