Earl Eugene Bentz

July 25, 1914 - March 24, 2009

Earl Eugene Bentz Obituary Earl Eugene Bentz, a continuous resident of Spokane since 1923, passed away peacefully March 24, 2009 at Sacred Heart Medical Center following a brief illness. He was 94. Born July 25, 1914 in Avon, Idaho to George and Hanna Lilljegren Bentz, he was the oldest of five children. During the first nine years of his life, the family lived in several locations in Idaho, Montana and eastern Washington. In 1923 the family purchased the home at 3707 E. Bridgeport where he lived until 1940. He attended Cooper Grade School, the old Hillyard High School and was a 1932 graduate of Rogers High School. He was employed throughout the 1930?s in logging, agriculture, gold mining and assorted other jobs. On August 25, 1940 he married Anna I Gingrich with whom he shared his life for nearly 54 years. Also in 1940 he joined KHQ and KGA radio stations as a technical engineer where he worked until 1953 when he moved to KHQ-TV. After retirement from Channel 6 in 1976, he continued his life-long habit of helping friends, neighbors and family and pursued his hobbies of travel, fishing, hunting and gardening. He had his last famous vegetable garden at age 91. Earl was predeceased by his wife Anna in 1994, his daughter Barbara (Christopher) Wenger in 2006, his sister Adeline (Raymond) Daves in 2009 and two brothers, Ralph ?Tuffy? (Virginia) Bentz and Charles Bentz. He is survived by a brother Gordon ?Ike? (Jean) Bentz of Spokane, a son Wesley (Carol) Bentz of Andover, New York, three grandsons ? Michael (Michelle) Tripp, Larry (Harper) Tripp and Daniel Bentz, as well as four great grandchildren?Monica Tripp, Max Tripp, Griffin Tripp and Nikolas Tripp. Viewing and visitation will be held Friday, March 27, 2009 from 9:00 am until noon, with a funeral service to follow at noon in the Heritage Funeral Chapel. Memorial Contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or the Visiting Nurses Association, or a charity of the donor?s choice.