Harry Richard Bentsen

SPRINGFIELD—Harry Richard Bentsen, 83, of Springfield, Illinois, died on January 31, 2016, at Lewis Memorial Christian Village. A memorial visitation will be held Friday, February 12, 4 to 7 p.m., at Bisch Funeral Home West, 2931 S. Koke Mill Rd., Springfield. A funeral service celebrating Harry’s life will be held Saturday, February 13, 11:00 a.m., at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 533 S. Walnut St., Springfield. Rev. Dr. Blythe Denham Kieffer will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church or the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.

Harry was born March 13, 1932, to Harry and Lillian Korterud Bentsen in Chicago. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mina; daughter Molly of Champaign (son Mitchell); son Ross (Angela) of Aurora (children Kline, Matthew, Clark, and JoAnna); son Todd of Washington, DC (children Seth and Jessica); son Perry (Carol) of Moline (children Abigail, Sarah Glovinsky [William], and Laura); brothers Ron (Carol) of Arlington Heights and David (Jan) of Sherman, Texas; and brother-in-law Jack Stumpf of Arcadia, California.

Harry met his future wife at the wedding of his brother, Ron, to Carol; Harry was best man, and Mina, Carol’s college friend, was the soloist. After a whirlwind romance, they married six months later, on New Year’s Eve. They moved in 1966 to Springfield, where they have been blessed by countless friendships, a strong faith community, and the rewards of multiple volunteer commitments. Harry served on the Illinois Symphony board of directors, including a term as president, and most recently was a docent at the Dana-Thomas House and a volunteer at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. He also served multiple terms as a deacon and an elder at Westminster Presbyterian. Travel has been a frequently shared pleasure for Harry and Mina, including business conventions, international trips and cruises, and favorite trips with children and grandchildren.

Harry was a proud Norwegian, whose four grandparents all emigrated from Norway to the U.S. As a teenager he relished spending summers on the farm where his mother grew up near Stanley, North Dakota. A lifelong outdoorsman, Harry whiled away many (usually) happy hours casting a fishing rod, swinging a golf club, or hunting ducks at Goofy Ridge.

A 1950 graduate of Taft High School (Chicago) and a 1954 graduate in business administration of Culver-Stockton College (Canton, Missouri), Harry spent a long and productive career in the life insurance industry. He began his career at Continental Assurance, first in Chicago, then in Cincinnati, Ohio. After 26 years with The Franklin in Springfield, he retired as vice-president of sales services.

Harry never met a stranger, and he loved sharing stories from his wide-ranging memory. Myriad “Harryisms” (“You’re not playin’ with the kids”) will live on through his many loving family members. His family would like to thank the staff of Lewis Memorial Christian Village for their compassionate care during Harry's residence there.

Please visit the online "Life Remembered Story" at www.bischfuneralhome where tributes and condolences may be left for the family.