A bright light of love and kindness has been extinguished too soon. Ashley Bentley went to be with her Lord Jesus on the evening of April 7, 2024. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends, and neighbors.
Ashley Nicole Packard was born on December 14,1984 to her mother Rhonda Packard Moore and father Michael Packard in the City of Orange, CA. The couple already had a young daughter at the time. Ashley’s older sister Alicia Packard. In the early years the young family lived in the cities of Buena Park, Whittier and Hacienda Heights in Southern California near lots of family members. When Ashley was about seven her father moved to Minnesota where he married Ashley’s stepmother Joyce Packard. In 1996 the girls moved to Victorville, CA where their mother, Rhonda, married Ashley’s stepfather Raymond “Ray” Schultz. In Victorville Ashley attended Parkview Elementary School, Cobalt Middle School and Silverado High School. It was in middle school when Ashley accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior at a youth gathering at a local church. Her Christlike service and love for others was evident throughout her life.
The newly formed Schultz/Packard blended family enjoyed motorhome trips to Morro Bay, Buelton, Gaviota and a family trip to Epcot/Disney World in Florida. During the summers Ashley and Alicia would visit their dad and Joyce in Minnesota for adventures like fishing, camping, and boating. Ashley didn’t play a lot of organized sports but she did compete in several beauty pageants as a young teen. Later in life she became a huge Green Bay Packers fan and loved the LA Dodgers!
During and after high school Ashley worked various jobs in the high desert of Southern California. One at a quick service Chinese restaurant and another for a flooring installation company. Not long after graduating High School she moved out of the family home and lived with friends and then for a short time with her stepbrother and his wife, John and Michelle Schultz, with their 4 children also in Victorville, CA.
In about 2003, John helped Ashley land a full-time job and she began working for the Facilities Department at the California Speedway racetrack in Fontana, CA as the assistant to the facilities director. It was there that she met her husband, Justin Bentley, who was also working at the speedway. The two dated for six months or so when they became pregnant with their first son, Luke Bentley. In 2005 Justin and Ashley were married on September 29th in Laguna Beach, CA and shortly after Luke was born on December 7th. The newlyweds took their new son home to the house where they were living in a beautiful neighborhood in Lakewood, CA. A year and a half later they moved to Torrance, CA and welcomed their second son, Owen Bentley, who was born on June 13th, 2007.
Throughout this time of raising young children Ashley was not only a homemaker but she worked for several direct sales companies where she thrived at selling for companies such as Origami Owl and Jamberry Nails. She loved to host in-home events all over Southern California where ladies, mostly moms, could socialize and have fun trying new products.
On December 23, 2011, the Bentleys had their 3rd son, Eli Bentley. And finally, their fourth son, Greyson Bentley, was welcomed into the world on the evening of October 29, 2013.
Ashley was an active member of her local church, New Life Community Church (NLCC) in Hawthorne, CA. Ashley loved children! So it was no surprise that she served for years as a leader and teacher in NLCC’s Kids Ministry program. She loved kids so much that she also worked at a local daycare for a year or two. She would get her four boys ready for school, get them out the door safely and then go watch other people’s kids all day. Ashley and her husband also helped lead the Marriage Ministry at NLCC for numerous years. Hosting many lunches and events at their home in support of the ministry and out of love for couples/families from their church.
As mentioned before, the Bentleys moved to West Torrance in 2007. They ended up buying a home on the same street that Justin grew up on as a boy, Arvada St. The Bentley home backyard soon became a “mini park’ where Ashley graciously entertained moms and their children. Providing snacks and opening up her home to give others a fun and safe place to play. On Arvada St. and within the surrounding neighborhood Ashley made lifelong friendships with dozens of families. A group of women, including Ashley, created a mom and community group called “Bevada”. Named after the streets of Arvada and Beckworth, this team of families looked out for one another’s kids, planned annual block parties/events and truly lived life together.
Since all four of her sons played baseball from a young age, the local little league played a big role in Ashley’s life over the past decade. West Torrance Little league, just down the street from the family home, was where you would always be able to find Ms. Ashley during the spring and summer months. Whether helping in the snack bar or being a team mom for one of the boy’s teams you could be sure to see her down at the fields with her hair tucked up in a baseball cap and wearing some kind of heavy coat (it is always cold down there!). You’d also often see her just beyond the outfield fence of one field running back and forth to an adjacent field since two of her boys had a game at the same time.
Ashley loved volunteering at her son’s local schools as well: Good Shepherd Pre-School, Towers Elementary School, Bert Lynn Middle School and West Torrance High School. Whether helping with Adventures in Art, reading to kids in the library or chaperoning a field trip she was always eager to help and spend time with her community’s kids.
Ashley loved life, she loved family and she loved to serve other people. Her laugh was infectious. She is resting in the arms of Jesus now in Heaven where there is no more pain and only joy. Ashley is survived by her mother and father, her husband and sons, her sister, cousins, her aunt, uncles, two grandmothers, nieces, and nephews and countless neighbors and friends she loved so dearly.
A celebration of life will be held Friday, May 3, 2024 at 4:30pm at New Life Community Church, 5009 W. 119th Street, Hawthorne, CA 90250. All are welcome. Kids too! Please come as you are. No special attire required. Come and celebrate an amazing woman who will be greatly missed. Bring your stories and your laughter. We will be serving a light dinner and desserts afterwards.
Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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