Obituary - Lyle Ray Bentz
Sacramento Bee, The (CA) - August 20, 1995
Deceased Name: LYLE R. BENTZ
VETERAN OF WORLD WAR II AND KOREAN WAR LATER TRAVELED WIDELY
AS AN ELECTRICAL WORKER
Lyle R. Bentz, a World War II and Korean War veteran, was an active member of
the community for many years. Mr. Bentz, 68, who was a longtime member of
the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 340 and taught
apprenticeship classes for the IBEW until June of this year, died of pneumonia
and asbestosis Friday. He had been recovering from an operation on one of his
legs.
Mr. Bentz was in the Coast Guard in World War II, when an explosion injured his
right leg which gave him some trouble over the years, said his wife, Donna. In
the Korean War he served in the Air Force.
Mr. Bentz contracted asbestosis from years of working on dams and power plants.
He became a electrical worker at about the same time he was married in 1952, and
like a lot of construction employees, he and his family followed the work.
"He worked in every state except for Alaska and Hawaii. He worked every dam on
the Columbia River. He even helped build a nuclear power plant in St. Louis,"
Donna Bentz said.
Mr. Bentz and his family lived in Sacramento from 1956 to 1967, and then moved
back here in 1985. He was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose No. 2022, the
Elk Lodge of West Richland, Wash., the North Sacramento American Legion Post,
and the National Rifle Association.
"He was very active. He liked to be involved in everything," said his daughter,
Pamela Eastman, of Lacey, Wash. "He was especially involved in his children's
lives. He was there when my children were born because family was always very
important to him."
His wife added that Mr. Bentz was honest and hard-working, traits that he
instilled in his children.
This year, he watched as the IBEW Apprenticeship School, which he helped design,
was built.
In addition to his wife and daughter, Mr. Bentz is survived by his son, Michael
Bentz of El Dorado Hills; brothers Roy E. Bentz of Canby, Ore., and David L.
Bentz of Creamridge, N.J.; and six grandchildren.
At his request, no funeral or viewing will be held. Instead, a memorial service will be held today at 4:30 p.m. at the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge No. 2022, 2531 Rio Linda Blvd.
Sacramento Bee, The (CA)
Date: August 20, 1995
Edition: METRO FINAL
Page: B5
Record Number: 063