Third Generation

4. Thomas Gerald BENTLEY was born on Sep 6, 1930 in Watertown, , New York, USA. He died of a myocardial infarction (heart attack) on Dec 16, 2005 in Westfield, Hampden County, MA. Thomas G. Bentley
1930 - 2005

WESTFIELD - Thomas G. Bentley, 75, of Westfield, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, December 16, 2005 in Noble Hospital. He was born on September 6, 1930 in Watertown, NY. His parents were Anne (Scott) Bentley and F. Richard Bentley. Tom went to Baldwinsville Academy and was part of a record setting baseball team that went over three years without a loss. Tom learned plumbing and carpentry from his uncles in Syracuse, NY while young, and used those skills throughout his lifetime for hobbies and home improvement projects.

After graduating, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving during the Korean conflict, where he was an advanced communications technician and learned skills that led to his successful career in the then-new field of computers in the 1960's. Tom continued his career in computer information management until he retired from Digital Equipment Corporation. Tom became a licensed realtor in Massachusetts while retired. He also was the proprietor of Annie's Book Store in Westfield for many years.

While in the Navy, he met his bride to be, Margaret E. "Peggy" Tansey who was a WAF stationed at the Pentagon. The romance led to their marriage in 1952. He always expressed and showed his love for Peggy, his best friend and lifetime partner. Tom was a great husband and father who loved going fishing, bowling and boating with his children. Cape Cod was a favorite vacation destination, where he owned a second home for over twenty years. He was a good golfer with many trophies. After he retired, he was an avid eBay salesman, bowler, and yard sale enthusiast. He enjoyed digital photography and researching family history. Tom stayed in contact with many relatives, ensuring that the family stories and history was passed on to new generations.

He taught his children that you could accomplish almost anything with the right attitude and hard work. He was a leader by example in his professional and family life. Tom was a successful man who touched the lives of many people and was loved by his family and friends. We will miss him dearly.

Tom is survived by his wife, Peggy Bentley, two sons, Richard M. Bentley of Bethlehem, PA, Scott T. Bentley of Norfolk, MA, a daughter, Diane M. Evans of Westfield, six grandchildren, Katherine "Katie" Bentley, Rebecca "Becky" Bentley, Christopher Evans, Karen Evans, Sean Bentley, Megan Bentley, and many cousins and friends.

The funeral will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Agawam Funeral Home, 184 Main Street, followed by burial in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Calling hours are Monday from 4 - 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Tom's name to The Recording Workshop, George H. Evans Memorial, 455 Massieville Road, Chillicothe, OH 45601.
Sunday Republican (Springfield, MA)
Date: December 18, 2005 He had Social Security Number 083-24-8320. From Tom Bentley's service :

Tom Bentley loved his family and the sense of being part of a larger family with his many cousins. He had tremendous pride in his Irish heritage and family history. Tom was a "self made man"... successful in his childhood (skipping forward a grade and graduating high school at 17), in sports (particularly baseball and bowling), and in his career as an MIS/EDP manager.

He taught his children strong family values. He always spent time with his children.... fishing, bowling, yardwork, homework, chess, shooting pool, yard sales, ebaying, boating, coin collecting, and many other hobbies through the years.

In his high school yearbook it was noted that his favorite song was "Take me out to the ball game" and the future vision was that Tom Bentley would be a member of an All American baseball team.

Tom loved a good joke. Remember the last phone message to his friend, Jack.... " This is Colonel Balldigger...."

Tom led by example... honoring God, his parents, doing unto others as he wanted to be treated. He was a hard worker and great teacher/coach.

Advice from Tom over the years...
- Turn off the lights and save electricity
- Don't wake up your mom ! (when we got up early to go fishing)
- EASY on the salt....
- Exercise and stay in shape
- Lose some weight.... Dick ;-)
- NEVER pay full price
- Don't bite your nails
- Don't do drugs... at least with a few beers you know you did something wrong the next morning
- Be a technical expert in your field, not just a manager
- ENJOY your job, whatever it is.
- Help others

God must have needed our Dad for a good reason.... so celebrate his life and get on with yours.... he'd want it that way...he didn't like funerals.
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Note on Tom's life from a close friend of his son :


the following is a fond memory that I have of his Dad from the mid 1970's.

We went to the Bentley residence in Westfield,MA early one weekend morning. When we arrived, Dick told us that we had to wait for him to help his Dad complete a project before we could leave. The project was the pouring of some cement for a patio and, of course, we were a bit annoyed at the delay as it meant having to wait for our daily beer!

We eventually accepted our awful fate and, trying to be helpful, Kevin and I made ourselves, our weak minds and our strong backs available at the worksite behind the Bentley residence. While there, I noticed that some of the work had been done in advance, that tools were already placed strategically near the framework that was pre-built to accept the cement and that Mr. Bentley had in his hand a detailed plan written in pencil on both sides of a 4x6 index card. On the card were listed what would happen first, what would happen second, who would do what, what had already been done, critical things that had to happen before something else was done, and the like. At the time, I found his attention to detail to be truly bewildering because I thought that there was no big deal to wait for a cement mixer to show up and "just pour the stoopid cement". However, when the cement
mixer finally arrived, I learned quickly that cement waits for no one and that things had to happen quickly and in a certain order.

As things unfolded, Mr. Bentley made minor changes to his plan, checked off items as they happened and basically managed the whole affair like Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic. Needless to say, the cement was poured and worked into a perfectly flat pad without incident.

What I remember most vividly was Mr. Bentley's calm and composure during the work. In my sharp (i.e. pre-alcohol) state of mind, I quickly admitted to myself that, had I been "in charge", that the world would have witnessed utter chaos, disaster perhaps and possibly a comi-tragic loss of life or limb. Simply stated, Mr. Bentley had taught me by quiet, competent example that it pays to apply the old Boy Scout motto - BE PREPARED (with further due respect to Lord Baden-Powell). This is a lesson that was forever imprinted on my feeble brain that day.

And, his simple effective project mindset knows no geographical or cultural bounds as I have often used the same technique on work projects from North Adams, MA to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Muscat, Oman in the Middle East to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia-Truly-Asia and (now) in Northern France.

Merci Bien, Monsieur Bentley, tu a ete un gentile et bon professeur!

- Steve Czupryna Thomas Gerald BENTLEY and Margaret Elgie TANSEY were married on Dec 6, 1952 in Scarsdale, , New York, USA.

5. Margaret Elgie TANSEY was born in White Plains, , New York, USA. . Children were:

2	i.	Richard Michael BENTLEY.
	ii.	Scott Thomas BENTLEY was born in Watertown, , New York, USA.
	iii.	Diane Margaret BENTLEY was born in Syracuse, , New York, USA.