Larry Rex Bentley

Larry Rex Bentley, 76, of Rockford, Illinois, passed away on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at home, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.  Larry was born on September 24, 1948, in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of Elmer Bentley and Margaret (Witt) Bentley.  Larry was raised in Clinton, Iowa and Rockford, Illinois.  On December 21, 1981, he married the love of his life, Patricia A. Lowe in Rockford, Illinois.  

Larry retired from Rockford Tool Craft in September 2012, where he was a forklift operator.  He enjoyed many sports and loved the Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Forty-Niners and Iowa Hawkeyes.  He coached his son's baseball teams and enjoyed watching his grandson's little league baseball games.  In his early years, he enjoyed playing pool with his friends, winning pool matches and tournaments.   Throughout his life, he especially loved hunting and fishing with his cousin and best friend, Chuck Bentley.

Larry is survived by his wife, Patricia; his daughters, Leslie (Jeff) Voigt, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Dawn Bentley, Clinton, Iowa; his sons, Larry Bentley II, Rockford, Illinois and Jason Reeves, Freeport, Illinois; mother Margaret Hazlett of Cordova, Illinois; his brothers, Jim Phillips, Ron (Pat) Phillips and Allen (Heidi) Bentley, Rockford, Illinois; sisters, Marjorie Mann, Rock Island, Illinois and Kerstin Enslow, Clinton, Iowa; grandchildren, Isaac and Jordan Beber, Austyn and Autumn Reeves, Arabella, Nolan and Riley Bentley, Hunter and Aurora Cradduck; and a great grandchild, Charlotte Beber.

He is preceded in death by his father and stepmother, Elmer and Martha Bentley, stepfather, Vernon Hazlett, brothers, Alvin, Terry, Allen and Paul Bentley, sister, Evelyn Bentley Kadoshious and brother-in-law, Dennis Mann.  

The Bentley Family would like to give a special thank you to Jim Phillips for his unwavering support and assistance during Larry's illness and to Northern Illinois Hospice for their caring support to Larry and his family.

A memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 20, 2025 at Lincolnwood Baptist Church, 705 North Springfield Ave, Rockford, where Larry is a member, with Rev. Don Dingus officiating.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family.  A luncheon will follow the service at the church. 

Affordable Cremation & Funeral Service is assisting the family.  To extend online condolences, please visit: www.affordablecremationbelvidere.com.

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