Edwin Ellsworth Bentley

Father of Edwin Bentley: Ernest Arthur Bentley was born August 21, l902

Mother of Edwin Bentley: Etta Marie Powell born June 26th 1907

Ernest and Marie Married June 28, 1925. //

Ed's parents had 4 children of whom Edwin Ellsworth was the second to be born, and the first son in the Bentley family.

Edwin had the unique birth dates that often received favorable comments...8-28-28 in Mott, North Dakota.

Ed couldn't wait to be born in a hospital as he was born in the doctor's office instead. The Bentley family lived in a one street town with dirt roads and transportation was done with horse and buggy. This new family stayed with Grandma Powell after Ed's birth, as she was a very giving woman. She helped with the transition of this new family with its new baby boy.

In 1932- The government donated land to families to encourage habitation, and gave the Bentley family 40 acres with the obligation that they were to improve the land within a period of time. Ed's father planted 10 acres of corn along with other vegetables as they started to develop the land. At age 4 grandma had Ed take buttermilk out to Pop Bentley (Ed's Father) in the fields for nourishment for the day as he was out plowing all day long. This year was also the year the areas became infiltrated with grasshoppers throughout North Dakota. The grasshoppers devoured the corn, potatoes, wheat, oats and grain on the Bentley's land along with all vegetation of the surrounding states as well. This wiped out a lot of the families in North Dakota's hopes and dreams. With their dreams devastated many of the families from those areas chose to relocate to the state of Washington to start their working lives again. The state of Washington put on an annual picnic for the people from the North Dakota area every year in memory of this loss. All of these farmers from the Dakota's and Washington states had so much in common that they were able to developed great relationships and enjoyed reminiscing for years to come.

At age 6, Ed was tasked with herding the cattle to help with family chores every morning. Pop bought a little pony, named Pinto for the kids to

go out and round up the cattle with to bring them home for the night. Ed and his brother Ernie were tasked with rounding up the cattle before school. Sister Alice was to have breakfast ready for the boys when they returned. One day Alice was late fixing breakfast for them and the boys made' comments to the fact that she was late with their breakfast. This angered Alice and she threw an egg at Ed. Ed ducked and the egg missed him hitting the wall behind him. Alice then had to clean up the wall. Alice and Ed enjoyed reminiscing about this story for years to come. When Ed and Ernie were about 12-13 yrs. old they snuck out off the second floor of their house for an evening of mischief and later returned with out being caught. (boys will be boys)!

In first grade Alice and Ed had to saddle up the horse that would take them to school each day. Coming home the horse would take off for home and as he knew the way and Alice and Ed would have to 'hang-on' for dear life to arrive safely back home.

In 1933 the family moved to Washington state. Pop got a job as a tractor driver at the Long Life Lumber Co. At age 8 Ed helped with pushing the green chain of lumber he cut 2" x 6" and 2" x 4" studs of lumber. He also worked on the sawdust chain to make sure it didn't get stuck with sawdust clumps.

He also managed a paper route in the Spokane area near their home of about 150 papers to be delivered every evening after school. He was a good manager of this job.

A few years later Pop hired at Meed Aluminum Company. Ed hired in at the same company at the age 9-10 yr. old. He was pot puncher and helped the carbon from getting too hot (which could burn off the cast iron). Later the foreman decided Ed was too young to keep up with this job. Ed was then offered a job at the Shoe Hospital as a shoe repairman. He continued this job for approximately 2 years. Ed also worked in another farm with local Indians caring for wheat and pea fields. Ed shared stories of one Indian boy that played the guitar around the campfire at night. He was very talented and played all music everything by ear. Ed and all the farmers enjoyed him and his music.

After completing high school in 1946. He worked at the Mead Plant turning sheets of metal. Ed received a letter to join the Army. His two friends Dick Combs and Virlin Hinkle talked him into joining the Navy with them at age 22.

He went to Seattle Washington to join the Navy and was swore in and signed papers in San Diego to start his Navy training. He boarded the USS Valley Forge Naval Air Craft Carrier (housing 3000 Navy passengers). They placed him in the Machine shop where he excelled in this skill. After two years and a extra 30 day leave he was transferred to the Antidium air Craft Carrier Ship that traveled round the world. He again was placed in the Machine shop and fit into place like a piece of a puzzle. Many of the Bentley members are very gifted with the Machinist skill.

After completing another 30 day leave the Antidium docked in Korea to resupply the ship (every month that was done). Because of his work habits he was promoted from 2nd Class Petty Officer and given increased shore duty. During this time he and friends would often take visits to Tokyo via trains. At the end of his leave a cargo ship anchored in the town and more machinists came aboard. Before leaving for travel Ed ordered himself a couple of custom made suits. Back then he paid $35.00 for both suits. Due to circumstances in the war the ship was called to Korea and they left San Diego for Korea before he could pick up his suit hence leaving his suits behind. Many men were looking forward to being with their families this extension infiltrated many service men's lives. This was Ed's third trip to Korea. His duties were to get the men up in the mornings and in place for work and set up for bedtime every night. He had to take care of many sailors who were very disappointed and trying to adapt to the fact they were not able to get home to their families. Letters were flown in on a helicopter for the sailors to get their letters home to their families while in Korea.

Ed stayed on the ship in the machine shop keeping things working well. He rarely went on land to Korea except for an occasional weekend.

He and sailors loved to play cribbage for relaxation. Ed was honorably discharged from the service in l953.

After the service Ed went back to his home address 817 W. York where he grew up with his mother, father and sister Alice, and brothers Ernie and Curt in Spokane, Washington. He got himself a job working at Columbia Electric as a Machinist. Later he moved to Pullman at Washington State College where he lived and worked for the two years. At this new job at Industrial Research in Pullman they developed the new automatic Hop dryer. This machine became a very popular resource in enhancing the beer industry. They also mixed flour and helped build grinders to make whole-wheat flour into white flour. When that research was completed, he moved back to Spokane. After moving back he purchased a home with his bother Ernie and they lived in this home for about a year, then sold it. He also hired in at Trentwood Machine as a machinist and excelled there for the next 5 years.

During this time Ed joined the Excellus Catholic Club in Spokane. He became a Catholic in the Catholic Church receiving Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation. Thru the Excellus club he met his future wife Pat Eixenberger. He asked her to attend a Valentine dance with him along with their friends Celine. Joe talked Ed into going to the lounge downstairs for a cocktail which went of for some time and since he did not return in an appropriate time Celine and Pat decided to leave via cab. Ed later called to apologize and asked for another date. She made him promise she wouldn't have to take a cab home if she did. Ed agreed this would never happen again and the rest is history. Ed and Pat married in Kellogg, Idaho at the St Rita's church on October 6th, 1956.

Ed and Pat started their family and had four children...Steve, Terri, Mark and Chris. Their first two children Steve and Terri were born with Cystic Fibrosis. Due to circumstances of economic declined active daily living in the Spokane area he and his family decided to move to the Seattle area. Ed landed a job as a Precision Skilled Machinist at the Continental Can Company. He worked in that company 33 years. Ed started his own side business E & P Machine Shoppe (Ed & Pat) in March of 1973 in support of medical bills in caring for his daughter Terri. Unfortunately Terry passed away on May 11th, 1973 from complications with Cystic Fibrosis. All 3 of his sons worked for him and gained knowledge of the machining skill, along with responsibility and dependability. In 1981 Ed was asked to go to Chicago, Ill. to train the machinists in gear cutting. While he was in Chicago he had his son Mark care for the running of the business in his absence. Mark was very capable of doing so at the young age of 18. Continental Can changed direction and moved to Southcenter area 1982 and started the company of Crown, Cork and Seal. Ed was 1 of 5 machinists retained to start the new business of enhancing a new revolution in can making. It was an exciting time for progress in the production of cans and improving the moving and reducing the expense of cans. Terri lived until age 14 and Steve lived until age 30.

The family was raised in Maple Hills Community, Renton Washington. They had a home built there and the Maple Hills area had a 20-acre park and a swim pool, and tennis courts. Ed was President of the Maple Hills Community for several years. A good place to raise children as they all learned to swim and tennis and play many other activities. Steve and Terri's illness was a challenge for the whole family. But the family worked together and made the best of a challenging situation. Terri was a mascot for Miss Teenage America. One eve there was a Father/Daughter event. The father's were asked different questions of their daughters. Ed was the only father that could answer all the questions about his daughter. Steve graduated from the University of Washington. He became a ski and tennis instructor. He married a special young lady Wendy who was very supportive of his illness. Ed was a very good father and a great family man to these two along with his other two sons and devoted his time to taking care of his family while working 2 jobs.

He was a supportive dad in every way for his children. He was very supportive of his siblings as well. He was POA for his brother, Curt and always protected his little brother Curt when there was a need, and sister Alice later in life. He was supportive of the needs of his brother Ernie, whom was an alcoholic in his younger years. Rescuing him from the bars. Later, Ernie completed his Bar and became a lawyer and a volunteer of AA. He became a Deacon of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bellingham. Both Ed and Ernie were converts to the Catholic Church, which opened doors for both of them, and a new way of life.

After the boys were raised, and they felt comfortable for us to move in l987, we moved to the town of Renton in the small community of Monterey Terrace, where we would be close to the church, library and doctors, when the need would arise.

He used the gifts given to him, and remodeled the home in the community. Ed continued supervising at Crown, Cork and Seal and retired in l994. He spent the next 5 years working part time at Modern Machine Shop now answering to his son Mark who had worked his way up to become manufacturing manager of the entire company. He became active in charity works and his favorite was the Way Back Inn, a noble project.

Later in life Ed had several medical issues, he had a cardiac stint placed, and Prostate surgery in October of 2015 and a Colonectomy (involving removal of 12" of his colon) and 16 pints of blood. With continuing doctoring throughout these years, He developed a gait issue of which after seeing several Specialists without a confirmed diagnosis. In February 2017 after a viral chest infection it was confirmed that he had lung malignancy that had metastasized throughout his body. He had another surgery to reduce profuse bleeding from his lung. This was successful, but the gait issue progressed as to where he could not walk at all. He was placed in an Adult Care Center with the care of Hospice on February 17th, 21017. He received the Sacrament of the Healing on February 24th, 2017. During that ceremony as everyone was asked to make the sign of the Cross, his hand was resting on his chest, and he made the sign of the Cross with everyone. Everyone was surprised, as we did not know if he comprehended what was being shared. He seemed more aware of the surroundings following the receiving of the Sacrament.

Ed continued receiving Hospice care while attending an Adult Care facility in Renton, Washington and passed away peacefully at 2:15 AM on March 2nd.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made out to: ( Ed would appreciate that )

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

520 PIKE STREET

SUITE 1075

SEATTLE WASH. 98101-3909