Leo L Bentz

Leo is predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Mary Bentz, and is survived by his three children, William "Bill" Bentz (Stacy), Marilee Bentz Kishner (Richard) and Laurie Bentz Labelle (George). He is also survived by his five grandchildren, Tyler Bentz (Briana), Justice Bentz (Nicole), Kelsey Varga, Joseph Labelle (Colby) and Michael Labelle (Hannah), as well as four great grandchildren, Chloe Cowan (5 yrs), Sophia Labelle (1 yr), Eleanor Labelle (11 mos), and Dallas Labelle (9 mos).

Leo was born in 1924 in New Kensington, PA, the youngest of three children of Lauretta and Leo Bentz, Sr. He soon moved with his family to Miami Beach where his father owned a successful car dealership. Shortly after, the Great Depression caused his family to lose everything, including the car business.

Leo attended Gesu Elementary School in downtown Miami, followed by St. Patrick’s High School in Miami Beach. After graduation, he served his country in the US Army during WW2. With the help of his GI bill, he attended the University of Pennsylvania to study electrical engineering. When his GI bill ran out, he moved back to Miami where his family spent winters and worked as a hotel bellhop on Miami Beach. While working full days, he attended the University of Miami, and eventually graduated with a degree in physics.

He turned down a job at RCA Victor in New Jersey, because as he would often say “I made a lot more money as a bell hop, valet and doorman on Miami Beach than I ever could fixing radios.” With time off in the slower summer months, he took waterski lessons and fell in love with the sport. In 1950, he bought a ski school tourist attraction and eventually moved it to Dumbfounding Bay just north of Miami Beach.

Within a few years, he met the love of his life, Mary Adlington, who visited the ski school with her classmates from Barry College to learn how to waterski (a meeting carefully orchestrated by his sister, a Catholic nun and mathematics professor at Barry College). They were married in 1954 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Miami Beach. They soon had three children, who they raised while operating their very successful "Lee's Ski School", teaching tourists and celebrities including Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher, Harry Belafonte, Audrey Meadows, Pat Boone, Mick Jagger and Lorne Greene. Leo hired many neighborhood teenagers, as well as nieces and nephews to work at the ski school. To this day, they still speak fondly of the positive influence he had on their lives.

After working long days at the ski school, Leo would spend his evenings in his garage, working to design and build his dream…the first wakeless ski boat. After much trial and error, he finally succeeded, and called his new creation the Ski Nautique. His new boat was a huge sensation, attracting attention at ski competitions around the state of Florida. He eventually sold the design to Correct Craft, and the Ski Nautique changed the world of competitive and recreational waterskiing forever.

In 1963, after a doctor warned him about skin cancer, he took the advice of several mentors and applied to law school at the University of Miami. While attending mostly night classes and running the ski school in the day with his wife Mary, he graduated in 1967. He landed his first lawyer job in Lighthouse Point in 1969, hired by Bill Grimditch, an attorney friend he had met at the Miami Ski Club. He quickly became involved in LHP politics and served as a Commissioner for nine years and then Mayor for another three years. His leadership and pioneering vision largely contributed to the beautiful city Lighthouse Point is today. He continued to serve on various city committees and boards throughout the years. Leo operated his highly successful law practice for 50 years before retiring at 95 years of age.

He was an active member and huge supporter of the Rotary Club for many years. He was also a founding member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Lighthouse Point, where he faithfully served as a lector and Eucharistic minister for several decades.

He loved to stay active, and he rightly earned the nickname “Whirling Dervish” from his family and friends. He was a lover of ping pong, tennis, and sailing. He last waterskied on his 95th birthday.

He spent his last four years at John Knox Village in Pompano Beach where he especially enjoyed his morning breakfast club as well as his evening happy hours by the pool with a wonderful group of friends.

Leo was a remarkably selfless man of service. He focused most of his energies on his beloved family, especially on his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Leo was most happy driving school carpool, doling out advice on table manners and legal matters and watching the many accomplishments of his children and grandchildren. He also never stopped offering valuable wisdom and encouragement to LHP commissioners and Mayors throughout the years.

Wake services will be held on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at Horizon Funeral Home, 4650 N. Federal Hwy, Lighthouse Point. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 9:30 am at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 2700 NE 36th St., Lighthouse Point.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Leo Bentz to the Rotary Club of Pompano Beach, P.O. Box 94, Pompano Beach, FL 33061.