Sally. M. Bentley , 87, of Largo, FL passed away April 17, 2022
Sally was born in Sanford, Florida in 1934 and was the youngest of six daughters of Edgar Miller & Sallie (nee Williams). She lived on the family’s celery farm until she was about six years old and then they moved into town. Sally’s beloved father passed away when she was nine years old and her mother went to work at JCPenny to support the family. She attended Seminole County High School and graduated in 1952. While in high school, Sally developed a love of sports and enjoyed playing tennis and basketball. In order to earn some spending money and to help her mother, she started working in a dress shop and she later moved to a job with the telephone company in Sanford.
Sally’s sister, Kay Duncan, worked for Southern Bell telephone company in Clearwater and she told Sally there was a job opening if she was interested. Sally and her mother moved to Clearwater and she took the job. Another sister, Hazel Thomas, also lived in town and attended church services with her husband, Ernie, at First Assemblies of God in Clearwater. Sally and her mother found their new church home! While attending this church, Sally met the love of her life, Harold Lee “Jack” Bentley.
Jack and Sally were married on Valentine’s Day in 1959. Shortly after they married, Sally left the telephone company and went to work at Jack’s business, Pinellas Iron Works, as his office manager. In 1964, they adopted their first son, Gregory, and in 1966, Greg helped his parents pick out their second son, Douglas. The family enjoyed camping together and spent many happy times in their travel trailer with Sally even baking birthday cakes in the camper during these outings. Many different times the Bentleys also camped with Harriet and J.W. Ivey, Sally’s sister and brother-in-law, or with Virginia and Owen Fairchild, Jack’s sister and brother-in-law. The two things Sally loved the most were her Saviour and her family.
After Jack retired in the late 1970’s for health reasons, Sally took a housekeeping job with Largo Medical Center. During her 20+ years with the hospital, she worked her way up to a housekeeping supervisor position which was a role she held for many years. Sally also was an active member in her church and she spent many, many hours crocheting blankets and hats for charitable organizations helping infants, elderly and veterans. When she was asked to help with the church’s food pantry ministry, Sally jumped in with both feet. Even after the loss of her loving husband in 1998 and her retirement from the hospital in 2001, the pantry was still her passion. Sally coordinated the food pickup from local grocery stores, oversaw the health department inspections and managed the day-to-day operations of the pantry up until 2014. Sally had many other interests which included sewing, reading, sports, crocheting, camping, cooking, baking, gardening and her pets.
Sally is survived by her sister, Sarah Tryan of Thomasville, GA; her son, Gregory of Sarasota, FL and his wife, Kathy; her son Douglas of Gainesville, FL and his fiance’, Michelle Banfield; and grandchildren Zachary Bentley of Hollywood, FL; Tyler Bentley of Largo, FL; Brooke Bentley of Gainesville, FL; Nickolas Garner of Hinesville, GA and Matthew Garner of Sarasota, FL; and she leaves many loving nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, H.L. “Jack” Bentley; father, Edgar, mother, Sallie; sisters Annie Giles, Hazel Thomas, Lily Katherine “Kay” Duncan, Harriet Ivey and brothers-in-law Brunner Giles, Ernie Thomas, Louis Duncan, J.W. Ivey, Albert Tryan; sisters-in-law, Virginia Fairchild and her husband, Owen, and Marie Davison; and daughter-in-law, Marilyn Bentley and her son, Richard Reynolds, Jr.
Sally was a wonderful lady & she truly loved jesus
Aunt Sally was a great woman of faith and truly a special person. We loved her very much and will miss her sweet spirit. Enjoyed our visits with her and Aunt Harriett over the years when we would bring her sister Sara down to spend time with them. We remember the last time they were together, you knew they were aware they would probably not see each other again. Aunt Sally leaves behind a wonderful legacy in her children and grandchildren. We know she is rejoicing in her new life with Uncle Jack and the rest of her family. May God be with each of you during this time. We love you and will be praying for comfort. Al and Debra Tryan and family.
I’m so very sorry to loss such a wonderful person . I first meet her when I took care of her husband Jack or as I called him Mr B they were the kindest people I ever meet. Jack was full of kindness as well as sally he invited to go to his church with Sally and I did and I’m glad I did. I was saved and attended as often as I could thanks to the both of them. I later came to work by her side at the food pantry I loved every min of serving people as did Sally I truly am happy she knew the Lord and she will be with Jack again. RIP
Sally, what can you say about Sally?. She was truly one of a kind she was sweet she was industrious she was faithful she was talented. I’ve known Sally since I was just a young teenager before I was married.
She was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known. She loves Jesus and her family and she just loved people in general. Her crown will be heavy with jewels.
What a truly precious woman of God! Her heart for helping the less fortunate was so large and compassionate! She will be missed so much!
What an honor to know Mrs. Sally! I loved working with her regarding church functions. She is such a special lady and woman of God. What a resurrection Sunday she experienced!
I was so blessed and honored to be able to know sally and to work with her at the food pantry and see her at church! I will never for get her love for cooking and crocheting! She will be missed by so many but I know she’s up there with our savior loving it! U til we meet a gain we love you!
Martha and I send our deepest sympathy. May the Holy Spirit our Comforter, comfort the family of Sallie, a wonderful and Godly woman, during this time of bereavement.It was great knowing her, she will be missed.
Sally and Jack were much loved by the Shell family. Sally was a loving wife, mother and friend and a wonderful Christian who loved the Lord with all of her heart. She will be greatly missed but is rejoicing in Heaven with the many saints that have gone before her. My prayers are with the family.
Aunt Sally will be greatly missed, but I am thankful she is now with her Lord and Savior. You are all in my my prayers and my heart!
Sally and I worked together in the nursing office at Largo Med.
I left Largo in 1999 but have thought of her so many times over the years. She was a kind, loyal and loving friend.
We are very sorry. Please let us know if there is anything we can do.
Oh my, Sis Sally had gotten her wings and all of heaven is rejoicing, hallelujah. Sis Sally was the epitomy of SERVANTHOOD.Love God>>>Love People. I learned many lessons working with Sally at First Assembly Food Pantry. People from all walks of life we’re shown love, respect, and really felt their value by the way they were treated. Along with the food for the natural body, they also received food for the soul, the WORD OF GOD. May she rest in heavenly peace. Well done the good and faithful servant. As we remember her, let it be a reminder to Serve God by serving Gods people. Thank you Jesus for letting my path cross with dear Sis Sally.
I was thinking about Sally as we (funeral home staff) prepared her for her funeral. The rest of the world paid no attention to her obituary, it was not reported on the National news. She wasn’t known as JFK was or Dr MLK or other noteworthy world leaders. But heaven did pay attention. The wealthy make contributions to charity for applause or self promotion. Sally fed the sick and poor. She prayed for them while filling boxes of food. She knitted hats for babies and veterans at Bay Pines. And she knitted those blankets. We covered Sally with a blanket from our house while she was in our care at the funeral home. Kim and Blair and I discussed it and then did it quietly. “Thank you Sally, from all your church family.” If I make it to heaven I expect to be handed a mop and broom. I’m ok with it. But I bet Sally Bentley has a pile of crowns as the Bible describes. We will all watch her place them at our Lords feet.
We’ve known Sally as part of our church family for most of our lives… She was there for me as a young man in the church as someone to look up to as a godly woman and as I came back to serve the same church as youth pastor worship leader and then as of late executive pastor she has always been a friend to the leadership of the church and always supportive… she has always had a heart to minister and had a deep compassion for those like those she ministered to in the food pantry (UFO) who needed food love and attention and Sally would tirelessly give of herself to those who were in need and she did it all with a heart full of love and compassion. The fruit of Sally’s life is well seen in the family that she loved and in the people that she served. Whether it was making collard greens for the senior luncheon or helping to serve families in need with groceries… Sally did all that she did as unto the Lord and with a heart that was full and she will be sorely missed. Now heaven embraces her and she joins a great cloud of witnesses and Sally we will see you again!