Joe Mildren Bentley

Joe Mildren Bentley, 92, of Wharton, died surrounded by family on Aug. 8, 2013 at his home. He was born Oct. 6, 1920 in Hungerford to John M. “Jack” Bentley and Carrie Hudgins Bentley. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013 at Wharton Funeral Home with Rev. Don Hurley officiating. Visitation will be held on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. A few years after his birth, the family moved to a farm outside Hungerford where they established the Bentley Dairy. It was through the twice-a-day dairy deliveries he met the love of his life, Joy Brady, and the couple was married on Aug. 1, 1940. After the Bentley Dairy closed in 1943, he tried farming until a hurricane “blew his cotton crop to west Texas.” During World War, he served in the Texas State Guard as a sergeant and trained local members in marksmanship. In 1947 he began working for Texas Gulf Sulphur as a welder and retired in 1982 after 35 years of service. Joe and his family lived on the family farm until 1960 when they moved to Wharton. He was a member of the Masons for more than 60 years. Joe was also a charter member of College Heights Baptist Church and served as a deacon in the church for 41 years. He was given the honor of being a deacon emeritus in 2007. Joe loved his Lord, his wife, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, his church and his cows. He was his own engineer and could figure out, weld and braze any tool or ranch equipment he needed. He was predeceased in death by his father in 1948 and his mother in 1980; sisters, Iona Bentley in 1936 and Mary Addilea “Little” Koehl in 2000; and grandson, John M. “Jack” Bentley, II in 1979. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Joy Bentley; daughters and sons-in-law, Betsy and Burlon Parsons of Wharton and Jean and Bruce Slaven of Plano; sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Chris Bentley of Thermopolis, Wyo., and Mike and Judy Bentley of Sugar Land; grandchildren, Lynne Howard and Lance Ritchey of Richmond, Nikijo and husband Brian Hull of Penn Valley, Califr., Dawn and husband Brad Peil of Thermopolis, Wyo., Skye and husband Ryon Glick of Fort Washakie, Wyo., Sage Bentley of Kaycee, Wyo., Tina and husband Jim Upchurch of Katy, David and wife Samantha Bentley of Richmond, Shawn Parsons of Wharton, Lee and wife Becky Parsons of Kyle, Travis Parsons of Wharton, Wendy and husband Nolan Clark of Houston and Gail and husband Matthew Setliff of Odom; great-grandchildren, Tori and Kaycie Rathburn, Julianne Howard, Hannah, Amber and Lauren Richey, Owen and Colin Hull, Bridger and Hoyt Peil, Rope and Rein Glick, James Upchurch, Hailey, Michael, Samantha Gail, and Luke Bentley, James Parsons, Ashley, Cody, Sam and Brady Parsons, Karsyn and Coleman Clark and Kegan, Tyson, and Bentley Setliff. If desiring, memorials may be sent to: Shriners Hospitals for Children; College Heights Baptist Church Building Fund, 1515 Briar Lane, Wharton TX 77488; or Houston Hospice.