Bentley, Mary Eliza 1859-1943

BENTLEY, CULTON, STRONG

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 8/13/2016 at 17:24:34

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
Nov. 1, 1943

MRS. M.E. BENTLEY
DIED ON FRIDAY
AT ADVANCED AGE

Mrs. Mary Eliza Bentley, mother of Mrs. E.D. Strong, died Friday afternoon at her home, 917 Seventh Ave., after a prolonged illness.

Funeral services conducted by Dr. J.S. Nollen and Dr. E.A. Steiner were held at 4:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon from the James Funeral Home. Burial will take place in Mrs. Bentley's former home in Edgerton, Wis.

During her years of residence in Grinnell, Mrs. Bentley was the affection of a huge circle of friends. She was a great lady.

Before her marriage Mrs. Bentley was Mary Eliza Culton. She was born in 1859 in Edgerton, Wis. Her parents, pioneer residents of the community, were leading citizens and their home was the center of good cheer and hospitality, which were continued in Mrs. Bentley's own home after her marriage to C.R. Bentley at the age of 19. Always a woman of executive ability and force she was a leader in the Congregational church in Edgerton, played the organ and sang. She came to Grinnell in 1925 following the death of her husband, to make her home with her daughter and to the extent which her health permitted transferred her helpful activities to Grinnell. She was especially interested in the development of her three grandsons, James, Douglas and Jerome Strong and followed their progress with the deepest interest. The end came peacefully after a period of increasing weakness.