Obituary of Jim Bentley

FLETCHER – Jim Bentley, age 86, of Fletcher, died Tuesday, December 3, 2019.

Jim was born October 3, 1933 in Fargo, ND to the late Henry and Vivian Sweeney Bentley; he was a resident of WNC since 1971.  Jim was a US Marine Corp Veteran. He retired from the National Park Service.   Jim enjoyed making wine, growing roses and fashioning handmade marquetry pictures.  In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a son, Joseph Bentley who died in 1984; a daughter, Diana “Deda” Bentley who died in 2010.

Surviving are his wife, Viviane Bentley; daughters, Catherine Bentley of Brevard and Christina Wilhoite and husband Donald of Jacksonville, FL; son, Michael Bentley and wife Christina Stafford Bentley of Asheville; sisters, Darlene Folstrom, Jeanne Peterson and husband Ron, and Diane Samuelson and husband Rick; five grandchildren, Nicholas Wilhoite and wife Emily, Dr. Gregg Wilhoite, Stephan Wilhoite and wife Jennifer, Jillian Wilhoite and Rachel Stahl and husband Mike; and nine great grandchildren.

His memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 7, 2019 in the Chapel of West Funeral Home, 17 Merrimon Ave., Weaverville. Burial will be in West Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, please donate food and clothing to the organization of your choice.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’.” (Matthew 25:40)

For those who desire, condolences may be offered to the family under Mr. Bentley’s obituary at www.WestFamilyFuneralServices.com.