Obituary of Jill Stewart Bennetta

Jill Stewart Bennetta October 8, 1974 – July 11, 2018 Nanuet, NY Jill Stewart Hunger Bennetta’s spirit is now soaring in the heavens like the birds she loved so much. Her last moments were in the wonderful care of the Hospice Residence in New City, NY where the cancer she so valiantly fought caused her death on July 11, 2018. Jill was born in York, PA, 43 years ago, the daughter of Dr. A Douglas Hunger III and the late Barbara Stewart Zifferer Hunger. She was a 1992 graduate of Dallastown Area High School. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Class of 1998). Jill was employed by Caumsett State Park, Long Island where she met her husband Michael Bennetta. They were married on May 24, 2003 and moved to New City, NY where she started her job as Education Director for Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Englewood, NJ. She directed all educational programs on site and off site during the school year and summer programs for various schools and universities. She performed educational demonstrations with various animals and her beloved birds of prey. She was involved with the Hudson Valley Hawk Watch Program. In 2007, her son Logan Stewart Bennetta was born and they moved to Nanuet, NY. Jill was very involved in her son’s education and became president of the PTA at Link Elementary School where Logan just graduated with several educational achievement awards. Jill valued time with her family, especially at the Hunger family cottage in Eagles Mere, PA where she spent her childhood summers by the lake and enjoyed playing soccer. Eagle’s Mere continued to be a retreat that she loved and enjoyed for her and her family. She is preceded in death by: her mother, Barbara Hunger, just three months prior to her own passing; her maternal grandparents, Morton and Jean Zifferer of York, PA; her maternal great grandparents, Fred and Helen Stewart of Great Neck, NY; her paternal grandparents Dr. Arthur D. Hunger, Jr and Josephine. Jill is survived by her son Logan, her father, Dr. A Douglas Hunger III, her brother, Tim, his fiancé, Anna and her husband, Michael. Her positive spirit will be missed by all those she touched, as a daughter, a sister, a mother, a friend and an educator. She genuinely passed her love of life and nature to everyone she met. Memorial services in Flat Rock, New York, and York, Pennsylvania will be held at a later date. Memorial Contributions may be made in her memory to United Hospice of Rockland County, 415 Buena Vista Road, New City, NY 10956 or to Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, 443 Van Nostrand Ave, Englewood, NJ 07631. Local arrangements are honorably entrusted to Zygmunt-Murtie Funeral and Cremation Service- Proudly serving Warwick and the surrounding communities. For directions or to leave a condolence please call 845-977-6127 or visit www.zmmemorials.com