BENTLEY, Julie Anne Bentley

My exit came a bit earlier than I had expected, however, I was still blessed to have had time with my family & friends beforehand.

I leave my beloved husband, John, of 44 years. Thank you, my love, for sharing your life and love with me. We did a great job, didn’t we! And a lot of fun doing it.

My dearest children, Renay (soon-to-be husband, Deryk) and Eric (fiancé, Amber) – I will never be far from you, just around the corner. You are my heart and soul and I am so very proud of you!! Keep your chin up and always be true to yourself 🙂

My loving siblings, David, Vicki (2020), Jacalyn, Karen and baby sister Carrie. I love all of you very much. Live your life to the fullest. Please smile, don’t be sad. There is good in every situation. Thank you for being my friends, too, not just a sibling, and getting into fun trouble with me. You know who you are!!

I will be reunited with my Mum, Shirley Bentley (2023), Dad, Bruce Bentley (2009), and sister Vicki, along with other loved family members and friends.

My busy siblings provided lots of nieces and nephews (& great n&n, too) to love and watch grow, some to adulthood. You know that Auntie loves you forever & always! I hope you will remember our special relationship and that those memories bring you a smile!

My cousins and aunts, may you live long, happy lives and enjoy your grandchildren.

Thank you and much love to our Toronto family. They are a large, loving bunch of people. Stella, Lou, (Alex, d), Joe, Mark, and children/grandchildren. I’m so happy to have been a part of your family! I wish for you all to have fulfilled lives, and a few more children for all to love.

I was born & raised in St. Thomas, ON. Eager to learn, starting at the age of 15, I had a few jobs before graduating from AVSS in 1978. After moving to Calgary, AB in 1980, I secured a position in a large insurance brokerage, Reed Stenhouse Limited (now Alexander & Alexander). After meeting my (later-to-be) husband, we stayed in Alberta a few years, then moved back to Ontario to pursue higher education. I retired from my last position in 2018, with Haas Insurance Group, after having worked in the insurance industry for 37 years. Time goes by much too quickly…

Some highlights of my life out West: Exploring the Columbia ice fields (too incredible for description!), camping/cross country skiing in Kananaskis country, downhill skiing in the Rockies, Banff (and hot springs), Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Radium, Jasper (so beautiful back then), Frank Slide in B.C., Osoyoos, Drumheller (land of real dinosaurs!), driving a locomotive in Edmonton (thanks Bobber! love ya), lots of house parties (hoedowns) in the back yard, complete with fiddles, guitars, harmonicas, spoons, and whatever people brought in! Some great yukkafluxs were also had! Yehawww!

Jack was da house boss and a native Calgarian. He was/is a true blue hillbilly/redneck/gentleman. Precious memories of the “Tipton Hotel” hold a special place in my heart. Love ya, Jack! I hope you get Panama Red ready for the road someday (even if you have to push it!)! That would be awesome!!

Some highlights in Ontario: camping with the kids (Killbear was awesome!), Niagara Falls visits, daughter’s cheerleading competitions (high school/college), dancing with both my son and daughter (I have so many wonderful memories, the pure joy of movement :)) I was a garden lover of all things dirty, and received much therapeutic benefit tending my gardens and watching things grow and beautify everything and everyone enveloped by it! I loved white water rafting, camping, skydiving, a couple of tattoos (my kids have way more beautiful work on them!), kissed by a killer whale, donated blood over 75 times, loving and being loved by so many people!

My last 6+ years have been spent enjoying home life and my family. My husband has been my primary, wonderful caregiver and my very own “Fabio”. Love you, honey.  

As I recently became more ill and entered the hospital, I very much appreciated every single caregiver who crossed my path. From emerg to floors D5, C6 at Vic, and Bldg B at Parkwood. Special thanks to Dr. Adam Au, Dr. Mohamed Badawi, Dr. Joe Herbert, Dr. Katarina Andrejevic, and others, whose care was exceptional and their compassion ever-present. There are so many nurses/PSWs who deserve high praise. Bless you all for the precious work you do! I love you all!

With love, I thank friends and family for the visits, for the home-cooked food, the gorgeous plants, fun activity items, books, and a girl’s best friend, chocolate!! (There were so many more goodies, I’ve just named a few.) You each hold a special place in my heart.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Please come and spend a bit of time with others and share a memory and a laugh or two. Humour/laughter was a big part of my life and may have allowed me to stay here beyond the expected time. To friends and family alike, I wish each of you ~ peace ~

The Tide

The tide recedes but leaves behind bright seashells on the sand,

The sun goes down but gentle warmth still lingers on the land,

The music stops and yet it echoes on in sweet refrains,

For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains.

By Melissa Sodin