June was born in Port Arthur, Texas, the daughter of Ralph and Regina Cohen and the third of four children. Her two older brothers, Herman, and Leon, both died in combat while serving in the US military during WWII. She and her sister, Barbara Cohen Golub, remained the closest of siblings, best friends, and intimate confidants. In 1944, June married Bernard Bentch and moved to Houston, Texas, where she raised her three children, Leonard, Charlotte, and Jeani. A loving mother, diligent homemaker, and wonderful cook, she instilled respect for all people and the nobility of work. She often said that the best times of her life were the ones she spent with family and friends. She helped manage the family retail business, Bernard’s Men’s World, for 30 years then enjoyed an active retirement of family, friends, and travel. For many years she was the Executive Secretary of the Pasadena, Texas, Rotary Club. She enjoyed Big Band music, good movies, fashion, dancing, and dining at nice restaurants. She loved to play Mah Jongg and golf. She was “Grammy June” to her five grandchildren, Rebecca Hudson, Abigail Bentch Boetticher, Adam Bentch, Jeffrey Bentch, Jesse Coleman, and 12 great-grandchildren. In 2003, she moved to Fredericksburg, Texas, to be close to Leonard and his wife Sue, returning to the small-town life she knew as a child, where she made many good friends and became an active part of the community. Many of her family and friends gathered to celebrate her 80th, 85th, and 90th birthdays. In June 2020, she moved to live with Jeani and her husband Steve Coleman in Burke, Virginia, where she reveled in the lives of Jesse, his wife Raquel, and their four beautiful children.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Bernard Bentch, in 1996 and survived by her sister, Barbara Cohen Golub, her three children, Leonard Bentch and wife Sue, Charlotte Bentch and husband Mike Greene, Jeani Coleman and husband Steve as well as all her greatly loved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
June was compassionate and a good listener while also strong willed and fiercely independent. She leaves behind a loving family, valued friends, and a treasure chest of wonderful relationships, life events shared, and a legacy of honor, respect, and dignity. A life well lived.
Memorials may be sent to the HCM Wellness Center in Fredericksburg, the Junior Golf Foundation of Fredericksburg, or the charity of your choice.
A private funeral was held on Sunday, December 6, 2020 at Emanu El Memorial Park.
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