SCARBOROUGH – Harry Bennert died on July 18, 2023 at the Scarborough Veteran’s Home, in Scarborough.

He was born in Manchester, N.H. in 1936, the son of Elizabeth Florence McIntire and Harry W. Bennert, M.D. He was educated in the Manchester public schools and was a 1958 graduate of Bates College with a religion major. After being Assistant Alumni Secretary at Bates for two years, he took all his premed studies and applied to Boston University School of Medicine where he graduated in 1965. He did his internship and one year of general surgery at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

As the Vietnam War was raging at the time, he joined the Navy as a medical officer and served on the USS Providence-CLG 6 for two years. It was the 7th Fleet Flag Ship home-ported in Yokosuka, Japan.

In 1961, before medical school, he and Joan Marie Nolet of Auburn were married in the Bates Chapel. Eric Bennert was born in 1967 at Maine Medical Center and Jeffrey Bennert in 1969 in San Diego, Calif.

When the two year active duty requirement was finished, the family moved to Massachusetts and he became a resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Boston Lying-In Hospital in Boston (now known as Brigham and Women’s). In 1972 the family moved to Falmouth and Harry began his practice at Maine Medical Center.

During this time, Harry initiated a study to identify high risk pregnancies in order to improve the outcomes. The Maine Fetal Risk Project, with the overwhelming cooperation of the actively practicing doctors in Maine providing obstetrical care, was able to gather information on 12,817 pregnancies. Harry also developed the Maine Diabetes and Pregnancy Program which concentrated on physician education. All of this contributed to the development of a high risk pregnancy program at Maine Medical Center, known as Maternal Fetal Medicine. He continued to maintain an active teaching schedule, as well as practice, until he retired from medicine at the age of 67.

Following retirement, he pursued his life long dream of becoming a Christian Minister in the United Church of Christ. He graduate from the Bangor Theological Seminary in 2009. His dream was cut short with a diagnosis of Alzheimers.

Harry was a lover of the water and boating and spent summers on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire where he met his future wife. After moving to Maine he became a member of the Portland Yacht Club and is a Past Commodore. He never forgot his days on the USS Providence and living in Japan with Joan and his elder son.

He is a member of the Foreside Community Church and continued his love of music by singing in the choir. He is a founding member of two quartets, the Deansmen at Bates and Doc Bennert’s Quartet aboard the USS Providence.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joan; his sons Eric “Huck”

Bennert and wife Alex, and Jeffrey Bennert and fiancé Beth Andrews. There are three grandchildren, Jacob Tucker of Cambridge, Katherine Elizabeth at Elon University, and Thomas Watson who recently graduated from Greely H.S. His brother, Donald McIntire Bennert and his wife Sandy live in Bow, N.H. and his sister, Susan LaFrance lives in Portland, Ore.

The family plans to have a private ceremony and his ashes will be scattered in Casco Bay and Lake Winnipesaukee.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Maine Medical Center for research or Bangor Theological Foundation.

Copy the Story Link