Gary W. Bentz

Gary Wayne Bentz, age 82, of Export, PA, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024, surrounded by his family.  Gary was born in Johnstown, PA on July 31st, 1941. He graduated from LeTourneau College in 1964 with a degree in Industrial Engineering.  He enlisted in the US Army in Johnstown, PA as a Private and trained at Fort Gordon, GA.  He served from 1965 to 1970 in the US Army Reserve. Gary met the love of his life, Connie Caulfield at Youth Time, an interdenominational teen group in 1953 and married her in August of 1965.  

Over the next fourteen years Gary worked as an IE at US Steel in Johnstown, PA, followed by Universal Cyclops in Titusville, PA, Latrobe Steel in Latrobe, PA, and General Tire in Jeannette, PA, finding his niche in sales after great aptitude selling surgical gloves at Arco Medical in Vandergrift, PA. Thereafter, he moved into a successful career in orthopedic sales, spending nearly 25 years in that field, ultimately as a distributor for Biomet.  Upon retiring, Gary became a licensed realtor and managed a variety of rental properties.

Gary accepted the Lord as his Savior at the age of ten at a church camp. Gary had a deep faith in the Lord that included a life full of service. Gary and Connie served as AWANA leaders at Bible Truth Chapel in Murrysville, PA. Gary also served on the board of Sandy Cove Ministries in North East, MD, and Three Springs Ministries in Morris, PA.  One of Gary and his wife’s gifts was hospitality, and they hosted friends and family at their home for many years. Gary was an active member of Cornerstone Ministries in Murrysville, PA, where he was a loved member of the Saturday Morning Breakfast Bacon & Eggs & Men’s Bible Study.  

Gary was known for a keen sense of humor. His lighthearted personality was loved by many. He always made everyone at ease in his presence. He loved an audience and was quick with a joke or a story. Gary had a lifelong love for the outdoors. As a young boy he was an avid hunter, especially enjoying hunting at his sister Wilda’s home in Morris Run in Northern Pennsylvania.  He and his buddy, Joe Keteles, spent many days hunting rabbits with his beagle, Torch. Gary was also an avid catch-and-release fly-fisherman. He fished streams from Potter County to Montana and Colorado. Gary’s other hobbies included reading about fly-fishing and western novels. Gary also spent many happy evenings working on jigsaw puzzles. He and his brother-in-law, Jim Stonick, were best friends, sharing jokes and dominating the volleyball courts in their younger days at Bible conferences.

Gary was born to Fred Stanley Bentz and Martha Pearl Walter. He was married to Connie Bentz for 58 years. Father to Karol Lynn (Ernest) Lehmann, Coretta Bentz, grandfather to John Young, Michael Young, and Karis Young. He is brother to Wilda Haynes, predeceased by sister Sharon Knavel. He has many other loving family members, nieces, and nephews.

The family wishes to express sincere appreciation to the emergency room and ICU teams of UPMC-East in Monroeville, PA for their expertise, compassion, and loving support during this time.

Visitation will be Sunday, April 7, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hart Funeral Home Inc., Murrysville, followed by a funeral service of celebration at the funeral home at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to:  Cornerstone Ministries https://www.cornerstonelive.net/give/.  For online condolences, please visit hartfuneralhomeinc.com.

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