Edward F. Bennis Sr., 70, chimney sweep and restoration specialist
"He was fun," his wife said. "He could be a feisty Irishman, but he was a big-hearted, generous guy. He might look to straighten you out in one minute, but the next minute, it would be over."
Edward F. Bennis Sr., 70, of Oreland, the owner-operator of Bennis Chimney Repair Inc. which tended chimneys in the Philadelphia area for the last 36 years, died Sunday, July 30, of lung cancer at his home.
Mr. Bennis founded the firm in 1980 on Gordon Road in Erdenheim, and seven years later moved it to Malinda Road in Oreland. Despite declining health, he operated the company, including payroll, until a week before he died, said his wife, Jo Anne Bennis.
"He was operating it from his hospital bed," his wife said.
The business has seven employees and six white trucks that can be seen in Philadelphia and the four surrounding counties.
His work entailed fixing leaks, repairing flues and chimney caps, replacing chimney liners, and sweeping out the long, narrow, black conduits to the sky, to rid them of dangerous residue.
"He would even build chimneys from scratch if a lightning strike happened. We had two or three every summer," his wife said.
According to Joseph A. Slobodzian, an Inquirer and Daily News reporter and his brother-in-law, Mr. Bennis received attention for the work he did restoring fireplaces and chimneys on several historic buildings in the Philadelphia area.
One of these was a very old log cabin on the grounds of Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. The chimney was in disrepair, and Mr. Bennis reconstructed it in the 1980s to blend with the early architecture. As he worked with an assistant, someone snapped a picture.
"There were a few other places in Germantown in which he built chimneys to conform to the older appearance," his wife said.
Mr. Bennis not only cleaned chimneys, though. Starting in January 2014, with the help of a social media specialist, he also dispensed nuggets of wisdom about chimneys, and tips on keeping them safe and in working order.
"When wood is burned, the smoke contains a substance called creosote. This foul-smelling, gunky substance will coat the inside of chimneys over time and cause a fire hazard. This is one of the main reasons it's vital to get your chimney cleaned regularly," he wrote in one Facebook item.
"What is that white bubbly powder on the wall and ceiling near the chimney? That is leftover minerals which remained after water evaporation – and is a pretty strong sign of a leaking chimney that may need to be repaired or fully restored," he said in a second.
He touched upon the folklore of the vocation in a third: "In Germany, the chimney sweep is thought of as good luck, and a charm or candy shaped like a sweep is given as part of a New Year's gift. The chimney sweeps' traditional dress is a suit of all black with gold buttons and a top hat."
His wife said Mr. Bennis owned the traditional top hat, but didn't wear it like the chimney sweep stereotype. "The top hat is more for show," his wife said. "It's actually a dirty job."
Born in Germantown, Mr. Bennis was the son of William and Doris Bennis. He studied at Germantown High School and lived in Germantown and then Oak Lane, until the family moved to Flourtown to open a small grocery store.
He started out working in his father's store on Bethlehem Pike, but after the older man died in the mid-1970s, the family sold the business. Mr. Bennis was employed by a mason who serviced chimneys before breaking away in 1980 to start his own company. The firm tackled both residential and commercial chimneys throughout the region.
In his leisure time, Mr. Bennis read history, cooked, and followed the Phillies and the Eagles. He coached Little League and Catholic youth organization baseball teams, and served as the head usher at St. Genevieve Church in Flourtown.
While coaching, he made sure that every child got a chance to play. "He was so patient with the kids," his wife said.
"He was fun," his wife said. "He could be a feisty Irishman, but he was a big-hearted, generous guy. He might look to straighten you out in one minute, but the next minute, it would be over."
Mr. Bennis was previously married to Mary Anne Benonis Bennis. She died in 1991.
Besides his wife Jo Anne, he is survived by children Edward Jr., Megan, Elizabeth, Timothy, and Bridget; four grandchildren; two brothers; and a sister.
A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, and again from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 3, both at St. Genevieve Church, 1225 Bethlehem Pike, Flourtown. A 10:30 Funeral Mass will follow at the church. Interment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.