Philip Sidney Bentlif

Philip Sidney Bentlif, aged 93, passed away at Methodist Hospital on Wednesday, the 4th of February 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on the 20th of March 1932, in Jersey, Channel Islands, the son of Philip Graeme Bentlif and Cynthia Denison-Smith.

Philip led an idyllic childhood in Jersey, with a house full of animals and music, and with frequent trips to the beach, to swim, fish, and body surf. All of this came to an end in 1940 with the German occupation of the Channel Islands. By pure luck, Philip, his sister, mother and grandparents, were able to gain passage on the last boat out of Jersey and landed in England soon thereafter.

Philip spent the war years in Oxford where he attended the Dragon School, followed by Eton College and later Jesus College, Cambridge University. Coming from a long line of doctors, Philip, from the age of 6, knew he would pursue medicine as an occupation. He attended UCL Medical School in London, completed a residency at Whittington Hospital (London), a residency and fellowship in Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore) and finished up as Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, at Methodist Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine (Houston). In 1961, he joined the newly founded Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, as a gastroenterologist, and held many leadership positions there, including Chief, Section of Gastroenterology, Chief, Department of Medicine and Member of the Executive Board. Philip joined the Medical Clinic of Houston in 1988 where he practiced until his retirement in 2008. During his retirement, he kept very busy as a volunteer at the San Jose Clinic and served as a medical expert for The Court of Hearing and Appeals at the Social Security Administration.

Philip was a master diagnostician and beloved by his patients for his kindness and professionalism. He had a card index memory and could recall almost every journal article, patient history, and lecture he ever attended. He authored dozens of medical research papers and made multiple presentations worldwide covering his specializations in gastrointestinal and liver diseases, especially Crohn’s Disease for which he was a world-renowned expert.

One of his proudest and most fulfilling achievements was his teaching position at Baylor College of Medicine where he was a professor in the Department of Medicine from 1961 until his retirement. He loved meeting and mentoring his students and getting to know them personally. He was always bringing home book, movie, and restaurant recommendations from them.

Over the years Philip was a member of many different professional and social/civic organizations including American College of Physicians (President, Texas Academy Chapter), American Gastroenterological Association, AMA, American College of Gastroenterology, Houston Gastroenterological Society (President), Texas Medical Association (President, Digestive Diseases), Royal Society of Medicine (Fellow), Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (Lifetime Achievement Award 2002; Founder’s Award 2009), Houston Committee on Foreign Relations (President), Houston Philosophical Society, Military and Hospitaller Order of the Knights of St. Lazarus (Knight), Confrerie des Tastevins de Bourgogne (France), and the Forest Club.

In 1958, in London, Philip met the love of his life Wendy Ann Williams. They married in 1959, lived in Baltimore for a year then began their life in Houston. Philip and Wendy were blessed with three daughters, Charlotte, Georgia and Alexandra Bentlif and four granddaughters Wendy Magee (Michael), Mary Holloway (Elliott), Sydney Gyenge, and Adelaide Gilley. His true joys were traveling around the world with his family, family gatherings, and his menagerie of animals. He was always available to his children and passed on his love of reading, film, Indian food and travel. He loved meeting new friends, telling jokes and limericks, keeping up with world affairs, reading Dear Abby, attending church, talking with his sister every weekend, taking daily walks, and swimming.

Philip is survived by his wife, his daughters and granddaughters, his sister Sally, and many dear nieces, nephews, and cousins in Canada, England, and Australia. He is preceded in death by his parents, Graeme and Cynthia, his brother-in-law, Anthony, his brother-in-law Keith, his sisters-in-law, Kym and Judy, and his son-in-law, Robert.

The family expresses their deepest gratitude to the wonderful doctors, nurses and staff at Methodist Hospital and the Medical Clinic of Houston. Their compassion, support and kindness were second to none. We especially want to thank Marisella “Marte” Ellison, who has provided love and support to the Bentlif family for nearly 40 years.

As a long time member of Christ Church Cathedral, Philip will be interred in the Columbarium at Christ Church Cathedral at a later date.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be made to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation or the San Jose Clinic by clicking the link below under "Donations", or a charity of your choice.