Dana Erin (Karlin) Bennett

Dana Erin (Karlin) Bennett, 64, of Huntington Beach, died surrounded by her loving family after a fight with aggressive cancer and illness.

Dana was the youngest child of Lieutenant Colonel (USAF) Francis Joseph Karlin and Cathryn June Millar Karlin. She was born at St. Mary's Hospital, Long Beach, California after a complicated and harrowing delivery that kept her mother, Cay in the ICU and Dana in the NICU. Upon both returning home, Dana was raised and mothered by her older siblings Robert Bruce Karlin, Cathryn Anne Karlin, Bridget Eileen Karlin and her grandmother whom moved to Illinois to care for her. With a nine year age gap between the eldest and youngest, Dana was the baby and loved dearly by her older siblings. She grew up in Rossmoor, CA where she was a girl scout, played in the girls soccer league, graduated from Los Alamitos High School in 1980 and graduated from California State University Long Beach, 1985 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business.

During high school, Dana worked part-time at Taco Bell side-by-side a sweet boy from Rossmor – whom she didn’t know it yet, but would become the love of her life. One day she was driving home and saw him painting the side of his parents house, she thought to herself “if he’s there on the way home, I’ll stop.” And so he was, and she stopped. They were married in Fountain Valley in 1986. Dana’s perfect match and life companion was Geoff Robert Bennett, together they raised two children, Jack and Darryl.

Their house became more than a home, a place for friends to stop by – for a quick hello, a snack or for a piece of advice, from our sweet Dana. She was the ultimate mother to Darryl, Jack and her “many sons.” She bought the biggest SUV she could find so that she could drive the boys and their friends to Jr. Guards, sports and anything around town. Dana was everybody’s second-mom and she loved being just that.

As the boys grew older, Dana joined Geoff to run the family businesses, Caravan Manufacturing and ButyWave Personal Products. She was committed to the family business, but she also always made time for fun, never taking life too seriously. Her neighborhood the “Gators” became her extended family and the fun never stopped. They hosted book club, pickleball tournaments, bingo nights, potluck dinners, driveaway cocktail parties, themed costume partied, a fantasy football league, and more. Dana loved a good party, her biggest one of the year was Thanksgiving, she and Geoff hosted Thanksgiving dinner for 38 years in a row. With everyone there all at once, talking, laughing, chaotically cooking. Eventually, long after dark, there was a sit-down dinner followed by an infamous after party in the garage.

Four years ago Dana became a “Grandy,” her best title yet. When asked if she wanted to have Fridays with the kids, she said “If I don’t do it now, I won’t ever get the chance again” and so, Fridays became “Grandy and Pops Day” where they would spend the day with the kids doing activities, taking them to the park, the library, and walks through the neighborhood. Her patience, kindness and love for her four grandchildren was like no other.

She will be remembered as a devoted wife, a deeply caring mother, a loving and kind grandmother, and a loyal and reliable friend. Most of all, she will be remembered as the “amazing Dana.”

Dana is survived by her husband Geoffrey Bennett of 39 years, her brother Robert Bruce Karlin, MD, her sisters Cathryn Anne Karlin, MD and Bridget Eileen Karlin. Her sons, Darryl Phillip Bennett and his wife Vanessa Genevieve Bennett and Jack Edward Bennett, wife Cara Anne Bennett, her four grandchildren Sydney Genevieve, Cooper Geoffrey, Quinn Christine, Kennedy Mae, many nieces, nephews and cousins, countless friends she made along the way.

In true Dana fashion, everyone is cordially invited to attend her funeral mass on Saturday, March 21st at 2pm PT at St. Bonaventure Catholic Parish, 16400 Springdale St, Huntington Beach, CA 92649. Following the service, the Bennetts invite all to join them for a reception at the Bennett Home in Huntington Beach. Friends and family will have an opportunity to share memories and stories of Dana.

If you are unable to attend the service, there will be a live stream of the service: Click here for the live stream on Youtube 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dana’s memory to Hoag Hospital Foundation, the Margolis Family Inflammatory Bowel Disease program in honor of Dr. Elizabeth Raskin. To donate, click here.