Leona B. Bentley

Leona B. Bentley, passed away peacefully at the SkyView Nursing Home on October 13, 2016, just days after enjoying her 93rd Birthday with family and friends. A memorial service will be held at the First Baptist Church on October 17, 2016 at10:30 AM with Pastor Ray Cook officiating. Burial will be at the Oregon Trail Memorial Cemetery following the service. Friends and family are invited to join the family at the First Baptist Church for lunch following the services. Casual attire is requested. Condolences may be left for the family at www.bridgeportmemorialchapel.com. Memorials may be dedicated in Leona’s name to the First Baptist Church or Hospice.

Leona Belle (Friend) Bentley was born on October 2, 1923, the fourth child of 10 children to James Floyd and Hazel E (Miles) Friend on a farm six miles east of Angora. She attended country school and graduated from Bridgeport High School. On February 27, 1945 Leona married John H. Bentley, the love of her life and best friend at the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport. A union that lasted 71 plus years!!

To that Union, premature twin sons, Dick John and Rick John Bentley were born April 2, 1948. She taught them the joys of fishing, cutting firewood, baking cookies, and loving one another. She didn’t like boxing, but supported their participation in Golden Gloves, football and other sports. Their Black Hills family vacation every year and made it their second home. Leona was so proud of the men they have become and their families.

Leona lived a Christian life, noting that no one is perfect or they would be Jesus Christ. She enjoyed life, fishing, boating, camping, gambling trips with siblings in South Dakota, puzzles, doing crafts, especially beadwork (her Christmas beaded angels are a favorite of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.) She made many memories, pulling taffy, baking her “special” Christmas cookies and cream puffs, churning homemade ice cream, teasing, laughing and having Sunday family dinners and picnics. Leona was active in the First Baptist Church, assisted with wedding and funeral dinners, vacation Bible school and water skiing youth group activities.

She worked various jobs as a cashier at the Bayard Bank, Western Auto Store and later as cook and head of the Bridgeport Schools cafeteria lunch program, but considered her most important jobs being a loving wife, mother and grandmother!

Leona was a beautiful, loving and generous woman who will be greatly missed by her loving husband, John (Bridgeport); sons: Dick (Nancy) Gering and Rick Bayard; Grandchildren: Nichole (Brett) Dallas; Jon (Teresa) Scottsbluff; Bob (Mandie) Mitchell; Cara Haley, Cheyenne; Becky (Abe) Adams, Scottsbluff. Great-Grandchildren: Mitch, Zac, Brayden and Jackson;

Kaylee, Natalie, and Emilie; Trenton, Tandon and Ryan; Ashley, Jaylan and Liam; Cooper, Cash, and Cody; sisters: Elva Wylie (Everett Washington), Reatha Bentley (Bridgeport), Darlene Green (Bridgeport) and brother Rolland (Pat) Friend (Gering).

Leona was preceded in death by her parents, an infant sister; brother Clyde James; sisters: Della Laux, Dories Grimes, and Marlene Mullennix and brothers-in-law: Harold Laux, John Wylie, Bub Mullennix, and Marvin Bentley.

The family wishes to extend its gratitude to the staff of the SkyView Nursing Home for the excellent care given to Leona and John and to the Hospice nurses for their “gifts” to the family as Leona joined the Lord her God.