David Bentley of Doylestown, Pa., passed away on Thursday, Oct. 18 at Doylestown Hospital.
He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Vermilion, Ohio, where he graduated from Vermilion High School in 1955. David went to Case Institute of Technology for undergraduate studies and graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He attended Officers Candidate School in Newport, , Rhode Island, and was commissioned in 1961. He had three sea assignments, his last as executive officer and navigator aboard a destroyer escort off the coast of Vietnam. He had one shore assignment in Washington, D.C., with the Naval Intelligence where he was responsible for the preparation of classified documents and providing briefings. Dave’s Naval service included participation during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Dominican Republic uprising and Vietnam.
With a young and growing family, he left the Navy in 1970 to spend more time with family.
Dave became general construction manager for the Mid-Atlantic State of E.G. Smithe, metal wall and roofing systems for commercial and industrial sites. He worked successfully with project owners, architects and union tradesmen.
That job also required more time away from home and in 1989 Dave took over a small business and developed it into a busy operation, The Bentley Business Services in New Britain, until his retirement and selling the business in 2000. However, he continued to work as a part-time notary public.
He was a kind, gentle and unassuming man who loved being with his children, attending their games, school events, traveling with his wife, kayaking with a close friend and staying in touch with old friends through Facebook.
Dave was a Scout master, a volunteer at Doylestown Hospital, as well as a volunteer for “Code Blue” – church shelters offering a warm and safe bed to the homeless in the winter. He was always an avid enthusiast of jazz and enjoyed live performances in and outside of the area.
Dave is survived by his wife of 59 years, Nancy M. Bentley and his family: Jennah, wife of the late Aaron; Craig, his wife, Karen and Nicole Christ, her husband, Bryan and grandchildren: Roland, Sarah, Maddie, Gideon and Ellis.
Relatives and friends are invited to a celebration of David’s life at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29 at Reed and Steinbach Funeral Home, 2335 Lower State Road, Doylestown, where the family will greet guests from 10 a.m., until the time of the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mr. Bentley’s name may be made to: National Kidney Foundation, NKF Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, 1900 Market St. ~ Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Reed and Steinbach Funeral Home, Doylestown
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