Capt. (USN Ret) William (Bill) Cooke Bentley, 87, went home to the Lord on September 29, 2017.  Bill was born in Collingswood, NJ and attended Collingswood High School. He entered the US Naval Reserve in 1947 before receiving a Congressional appointment to the US Naval Academy where he graduated with the Class of 1953.

Bill entered flight training at Pensacola after graduation and received his wings in December 1954. After two squadron tours he served as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to Radm Walter Rodee, Commander Naval Forces, NORAD. He later attended USNPGS at Monterey, CA and Princeton University Graduate School where he received a Masters of Science in Engineering.  After additional squadron duty, he served as Special Assistant (Air) to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and Development, Naval Plant Representative at Skikorsky Aircraft and Commanding Officer of the Naval Propulsion Center. Military awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, Vietnamese Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal and National Defense Medal. He retired from the Navy in 1978, and subsequently worked at Old Dominion University as Director of Industrial Programs.

Bill was married for 57 years to the love of his life, Bobbie. He and Bobbie enjoyed an active retirement spending time at their lakefront vacation home on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Maine. Over the years, the camp gradually changed from a camping area to a year-round home. Bill did much of the construction and finishing work himself. They also enjoyed traveling extensively and their favorite trips were the inter-generational ElderHostel trips with their grandchildren. In 2013, Bobbie passed away after a long struggle with Alzheimers. Following Bobbie’s passing, Bill enjoyed an active life with many friends and social groups including friends from his long Naval career, St Aidan’s Episcopal Church, and his beloved “Grief Group”.

Bill is survived by his daughter, Lisa B. Chud and husband, Samuel J. Chud of Newtown, PA; his son William (Bud) Bentley and his wife Kathie Currier-Bentley of Yardley, PA; his son David S. Bentley of Virginia Beach, VA and by his eight loving grandchildren: Jordan, Jared, Justin, Joshua and Lindsay Chud, and Chelsea, Cameron and Tucker Bentley. He is also survived by his sister, Jane Evans,  and two neices, Lynne Sleeper and Brooke Evans.

Our family sends special thanks to everyone who showed their kindness and helped care for Bill. A memorial service will be held at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach at 1pm, Saturday, October 7. An interment will be held at the US Naval Academy at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bill’s memory to the St Aidan’s Memorial Fund.