Robert “Jake” Isaiah Bentley, 83, of Johnson City, passed away Friday, July 10, 2015, at M.D. Anderson Cancer & Research Center, Houston, Texas.
A native of Newland, N.C., he was a son of the late Oscar M. and Dora Oaks Bentley. He had lived in Elizabethton and Johnson City most of his life.
Mr. Bentley retired as a Master Sergeant E7 from the United States Army after 21 years of service. He was a member of Hunter First Baptist Church, Elizabethton. He was a member of the VFW Post 2108, Johnson City.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Maude Baldwin and Mae Burleson, and three brothers, Rom, Ronald and Wheeler Bentley.
Survivors include his wife, Nyoka Taylor Bentley; his children, Tammy Murphy Almond and Kawana Collake, both of Johnson City; his grandchildren, Brandon Murphy, Austin Almond, Chani Lewis, a special grandson, Isaiah Arnold; his sisters, Fergie Yontz and husband Bill and Lida Campbell, all of Elizabethton, Victoria Carpenter, Canton, Ohio, and Martha Baldwin, Michigan City, Ind.; his brothers-in-law, Bobby Taylor, Johnson City, and Jack Ward, Elizabethton; and his sister-in-law, Mary Ward, Elizabethton. Several nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services for Robert “Jake” Isaiah Bentley will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 19, at Memorial Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Tony Clark officiating. Music will be provided by Millie Renfro, Rev. Tony Clark and Donna Clark. Interment will follow at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be Brandon Murphy, Austin Almond, Bobby Taylor, Jack Ward, Bryon Yontz and Van Almond. Honorary pallbearers will be Gerald Matheson, Ernest Hardin, Jim Barnett and friends at VFW Post 2108 and all his nephews. Family and friends of “Jake” may call at the residence of a daughter, Tammy Murphy Almond, between 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday. Military Honors will be provided by the VFW Post 2108, Johnson City. The family will receive friends from noon Sunday until the service hour at 2 p.m. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website, www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel, 212 N. Main Street, Elizabethton, is serving the Bentley family .