John Thomas Bennett, Jr.

John Thomas Bennett, Jr. passed away unexpectedly on Monday, June 22, 2026.

Tommy was born February 20, 1964 and was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ruby Bennett of Cullowhee.

He was a devoted father and an awesome bass guitar player. Tommy worked at Cullowhee Automotive for many years, helped start a trash business with his oldest son, owned and operated a sawmill and remained an avid fan of music, classic cars, and woodworking. He and his wife traveled to Mississippi, working along the Gulf Coast for more than a year after Katrina stuck in 2005.

Tommy is survived by his wife of 21 years, Katherine (Lisa) Bennett; a son/daughter-in-law, Dr. John Allen (Allison) Bennett; a daughter, Elizabeth Ailei Bennett and her son, Kaiden Alexander Bennett; brother/sister-in-law, Mikey Edward (Rebeca) Bennett; and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held in the fellowship hall of Black Mountain Baptist Church at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2026. All friends and family are welcome.

Appalachian Funeral Services is honored to be caring for the family.