John Knight Bentley

Our beloved father, John Knight Bentley, passed away at 96 years of age on Oct. 3, 2025. John was born on Dec. 27, 1928 in Michigan. He left our world peacefully at his home in Apopka surrounded by loved ones.

John and his wife, Nancy, moved their family of 7 from Michigan to Florida in 1961. They lived for many years in Lockhart before moving to Apopka. John and Nancy would later become foster parents to many children and also adopted 4 children. John left behind a legacy of hard work in supporting his large family.

John spent his career as an automotive and diesel mechanic. He was a Day 1 employee for United Parcel Service when they opened in Orlando and retired from UPS in 1993. He was a proud member and union steward of the Teamsters Union. In addition to working on cars, John enjoyed country and bluegrass music and, when his health allowed, enjoyed attending bluegrass events at Magnolia Park and meet-ups in Ocoee. He loved to talk and interact with people and, for this reason, loved trips to grocery stores, Walmart and Costco. He enjoyed cooking and learning new skills in the kitchen. He also enjoyed working with his hands and spent years making special writing pens from wood burl and deer antler. John was a faithful husband to his wife, Nancy, and will now be joining her.

He is survived by his sons Fred Gene Bentley, Richard John Bentley, James Martin Bentley, Jody Arlen Bentley and Jeffrey Lee Bentley and his daughters April Jane Bentley, Michelle Irene Althaus and Wendy Diane Kerr. John had 21 grandchildren and countless great grandchildren.

John's wife, Nancy, and his daughter, Marcy Ann Harrell, passed in 2020. John's siblings, Rupert Bentley, Annie Sullivan and Ida Sherrod, left us prior to John's passing.

A memorial service for John will be held on Saturday, November 1 at 2:00 p.m. at the Edgewood-Greenwood Cemetery in Apopka, FL. The family invites all who knew him to attend and share their favorite memories.