Mary, daughter of the Rev. Lewis Milton and J. Roberta (Goodvin) Clark was born March 16, 1930 on a farm northwest of Jamesport, Daviess County, Missouri. She was united in marriage to John B. Bentley on November 14, 1964.
Mary graduated from Jamesport High School, attended Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, Missouri and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri. She received her Master of Science degree from Central Missouri University at Warrensburg, Missouri.
Mary began her teaching career in a one room country school where she taught all grades. After the country schools were consolidated, she became a fourth grade teacher at the Tri-County School in Jamesport, Missouri. She moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1959 and began teaching fourth grade in the Gashland School System. Gashland became part of the North Kansas City School system and Mary completed her thirty-eight years of teaching at the Clardy Elementary School. She retired in 1988.
After retirement she became interested in genealogy. She and her husband, John, made many trips tracing her ancestors. They enjoyed traveling and traveled to all 50 states except Alaska.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church of North Kansas City, a life member of Missouri State Teacher Association, a life member of the Missouri Teachers Retirement System and a life member of Clay County Teachers Retirement System. She was also a member of the Clay County Patriots Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John, her parents, 3 sisters, Helen I. Rainey, Hazel Marie Clark, and Phyllis Gehrke, and a nephew, Allen Smith.
She leaves to mourn her passing one sister, Retta L. Dixson, three nieces, Joycelyn Inglis, Edna M. (Tom) Everly, and Shelley (Mark) Van Bergh; and several great, great nephews and nieces. Mary is also survived by three step-children Jack (Cindy) Bentley, Deborah (Michael) Durst, and Jill (Duane) Moore, and several step-grandchildren and great grandchildren.
At Mary’s request there will be only graveside services which are scheduled for 1:30 PM Friday, May 26, 2023 at the Pilot Grove #2 Cemetery near Jamesport, MO. Memorial donations are requested to the Pilot Grove #2 Cemetery Association, in care of Pam Howard of Gallatin, MO.
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