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            Downtown building transitionsfrom grocery store to church,
 now funeral home
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            [NOV. 
            28, 2003]  
            Lincoln native Christopher 
            Bennett is returning to his hometown for new opportunities and a 
            chance to start a new business. He and his wife, Lesleigh, who is 
            originally from Herrin, are the proud new owners of Bennett Funeral 
            Home, located at 620 Pulaski St. | 
        
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            The building has been financed by Logan 
            County Bank and was purchased from Kingdom Life Ministries on Nov. 
            10. Kingdom Life Ministries has since moved to the APAC building, 
            located at 2500 Woodlawn Road, for a larger facility. 
            Most Lincolnites remember the Pulaski 
            Street building being home to the Red Fox grocery store several 
            years ago. The Bennetts have hired Webster Construction, painter 
            Michael Simonson and architect J.H. Petty out of Springfield to turn 
            this building into a spacious funeral home and its property into a 
            60-car parking lot. The Bennetts will reside in the back part of the 
            building, which is being completely renovated for their living 
            quarters. 
            
             
            The renovation plans include several 
            fresh changes that will help provide homelike comforts and easy 
            access to the building. A carport for funeral processions will be 
            attached to the building and will hold about six cars. A family 
            lounge with a kitchen area will provide the capability to form all 
            guest lines inside the building. 
              
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            Together, the Bennetts have over 11 
            years experience working in the funeral home business. During those 
            years they have also compiled an extensive list of educational 
            attainments, scholarships, certifications and memberships. 
             
            In addition to his experience as a 
            funeral home director, Christopher is a veteran of the U.S. Marine 
            Corps and Reserves. He was a combat engineer and received an 
            honorable discharge after serving from 1992 to 1999. 
       The Bennetts 
            plan to be open for business by the early part of February 2004. [Janell 
            Woolard] 
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