William Wentworth

Reverend William Robert “Bob” Wentworth, of South Yarmouth, MA, passed away Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at home. He was the husband of Alice (Nelson) Wentworth. Bob and Alice retired to Sandwich, MA in 1992, and remained there until May of 2017 when they moved to Thirwood Place in South Yarmouth, MA.

Born in Montague, Michigan, he was the son of the late William Pritchard and Mabel (Roberts) Wentworth. He was also preceded in death by his sister Grace Marion, his brother Albert Kenneth, and his sister Eleanor Mae (Wentworth) Stevens.

Bob was a 1949 graduate of Albion College in Albion, Michigan. He then graduated from Boston University School of Theology in 1952. He was ordained as a deacon in the United Methodist Church in 1951, and as an elder in1952. He served the following churches during his ministerial career: St. Mark’s Methodist Church in Lawrence, MA; the yoked parishes of Center Harbor Congregational Church and Moultonboro Methodist Church in NH; Melrose Park Methodist Church in IL; First Methodist Church in Batavia, IL; First United Methodist Church in DeKalb, IL; Ottawa Street Methodist Church in Joliet, IL; Hinsdale United Methodist Church in IL; First United Methodist Church in Libertyville, IL; Fourth Street United Methodist Church in Aurora, IL; and as Minister of Visitation at First Church Sandwich UCC in MA. During his years of service as an active member of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church, he served on numerous boards including the board for hospitals and homes and he worked with candidates preparing for the ministry. He also participated in two ministerial exchanges with churches in England.

In retirement, Bob and Alice were active members of the BU Alumni Club of Cape Cod and the Islands and the Retired Ministers Organization of Cape Cod and the Islands. They also spent numerous hours working on genealogy tracing their families back hundreds of years.

Besides his wife of 67 years, he is survived by a daughter, Stephanie Wentworth of Bedford, MA and a son, William Philip Wentworth and his wife Abigail Smith Wentworth of Old Greenwich, CT; grandchildren Kirsten Wentworth and her fiancé Nate Gross of Pocono Summit, PA, William Barrett Wentworth and his fiancé Ashley Backey of Eynon, PA, and Claire Wentworth of Old Greenwich, CT; great grandchildren William Carter Wentworth and Sadie Wentworth of Eynon, PA; sister Marilyn (Wentworth) Fritts of Battle Creek, MI and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial celebration of his life will be held on June 23, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. at First Church Sandwich UCC, 136 Main Street, Sandwich, MA 02563 officiated by Reverend James Nelson of Des Moines, Iowa, cousin of Alice Wentworth, and joined by Reverend John Terry pastor at First Church Sandwich. In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief). Checks should be made payable to Advance GCFA and sent to P.O. Box 9068 GPO, New York, NY 10087-9068. Please indicate #999895 on the memo line.