The Rev. Richard "Dick" Alvin Bentzinger of Donnellson departed this life on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, under the care of hospice at Great River Medical Center, West Burlington. He had attained the age of 90 years, 3 months and 17 days.
He was born on May 4, 1920, in Donnellson, the son of Carl M. and Edna Jane Benjamin Bentzinger.
Richard was a 1937 graduate of Donnellson High School. He then enrolled at Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in English. He was proud to be a second generation Iowa Wesleyan legacy. He was a member and two-time president of Wesleyan's Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
As a pacifist and conscientious objector, he served in Civilian Public Service under the World Peace Commission of the Methodist Church and Mennonite Central Committee from 1942-46. Objecting to war and violence, he gave witness to his love of God and country in alternative service projects: land conservation (Nebraska), fighting forest fires (Glacier National Park) and working at a state psychiatric hospital (Virginia).
After the War, from 1946-48, he volunteered for relief and rehabilitation work in war-torn Italy under the joint administration of the Mennonite Central Committee and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. He was assigned to the beautiful village of Torre Pelice in the mountains of northwest Italy, where he was the liaison person between the Mennonite Church and the Waldensian Church of Italy. He maintained contact with his Italian friends throughout his life and returned to Italy four times with his wife, Ruth, and his children.
Upon returning to the United States, he was appointed to the Methodist Church in Moulton from 1949 to 1955.
He was united in marriage with Marian Ruth Edwards on Sunday, Feb. 28, 1954, at the Moulton Methodist Church.
Richard graduated from Boston University School of Theology in 1958 with an S.T.B. degree. He was the associate pastor of St. Mark's Methodist Church in Brookline, Mass., during his seminary years. He was ordained an elder in the South Iowa Conference of the Methodist Church that same year.
From 1958-1988 he served as Pastor in Altoona Methodist Church, St. John's United Methodist in Des Moines and tha Newton First United Methodist Church. He then retired to his hometown of Donnellson and pastored the Mennonite-Presbyterian Yoked Fellowship from 1988 to 2005.
He was on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement through the Congress on Racial Equality and the National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People. He and Ruth participated in the historic Civil Rights "March on Washington" on Aug. 28, 1963.
He was an accomplished musician, playing the piano and organ. He toured with the Boston University Seminary Singers and was soloist for many events.
Survivors include: his wife of 56 years, Ruth; two sisters, Margaret B. Gregory and Rosalie J. Bentzinger of Donnellson; four children, Rebecca Jane Bentzinger of Washington, D.C., Sarah Kathryn Clarahan, her husband, Rick, and son, Jacob Daniel, of Sgt Bluff, Iowa, John Wesley Bentzinger of Long Island, N.Y., and Philip Embury and wife Kari Bentzinger, daughter Emma Jane and son Ethan Richard of Lawrence, Kan.; and a number of nieces and nephews and other family members who were a cherished part of his life.
He was born on May 4, 1920, in Donnellson, the son of Carl M. and Edna Jane Benjamin Bentzinger.
Richard was a 1937 graduate of Donnellson High School. He then enrolled at Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in English. He was proud to be a second generation Iowa Wesleyan legacy. He was a member and two-time president of Wesleyan's Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
As a pacifist and conscientious objector, he served in Civilian Public Service under the World Peace Commission of the Methodist Church and Mennonite Central Committee from 1942-46. Objecting to war and violence, he gave witness to his love of God and country in alternative service projects: land conservation (Nebraska), fighting forest fires (Glacier National Park) and working at a state psychiatric hospital (Virginia).
After the War, from 1946-48, he volunteered for relief and rehabilitation work in war-torn Italy under the joint administration of the Mennonite Central Committee and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. He was assigned to the beautiful village of Torre Pelice in the mountains of northwest Italy, where he was the liaison person between the Mennonite Church and the Waldensian Church of Italy. He maintained contact with his Italian friends throughout his life and returned to Italy four times with his wife, Ruth, and his children.
Upon returning to the United States, he was appointed to the Methodist Church in Moulton from 1949 to 1955.
He was united in marriage with Marian Ruth Edwards on Sunday, Feb. 28, 1954, at the Moulton Methodist Church.
Richard graduated from Boston University School of Theology in 1958 with an S.T.B. degree. He was the associate pastor of St. Mark's Methodist Church in Brookline, Mass., during his seminary years. He was ordained an elder in the South Iowa Conference of the Methodist Church that same year.
From 1958-1988 he served as Pastor in Altoona Methodist Church, St. John's United Methodist in Des Moines and tha Newton First United Methodist Church. He then retired to his hometown of Donnellson and pastored the Mennonite-Presbyterian Yoked Fellowship from 1988 to 2005.
He was on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement through the Congress on Racial Equality and the National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People. He and Ruth participated in the historic Civil Rights "March on Washington" on Aug. 28, 1963.
He was an accomplished musician, playing the piano and organ. He toured with the Boston University Seminary Singers and was soloist for many events.
Survivors include: his wife of 56 years, Ruth; two sisters, Margaret B. Gregory and Rosalie J. Bentzinger of Donnellson; four children, Rebecca Jane Bentzinger of Washington, D.C., Sarah Kathryn Clarahan, her husband, Rick, and son, Jacob Daniel, of Sgt Bluff, Iowa, John Wesley Bentzinger of Long Island, N.Y., and Philip Embury and wife Kari Bentzinger, daughter Emma Jane and son Ethan Richard of Lawrence, Kan.; and a number of nieces and nephews and other family members who were a cherished part of his life.
The Rev. Richard "Dick" Alvin Bentzinger of Donnellson departed this life on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, under the care of hospice at Great River Medical Center, West Burlington. He had attained the age of 90 years, 3 months and 17 days.
He was born on May 4, 1920, in Donnellson, the son of Carl M. and Edna Jane Benjamin Bentzinger.
Richard was a 1937 graduate of Donnellson High School. He then enrolled at Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in English. He was proud to be a second generation Iowa Wesleyan legacy. He was a member and two-time president of Wesleyan's Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
As a pacifist and conscientious objector, he served in Civilian Public Service under the World Peace Commission of the Methodist Church and Mennonite Central Committee from 1942-46. Objecting to war and violence, he gave witness to his love of God and country in alternative service projects: land conservation (Nebraska), fighting forest fires (Glacier National Park) and working at a state psychiatric hospital (Virginia).
After the War, from 1946-48, he volunteered for relief and rehabilitation work in war-torn Italy under the joint administration of the Mennonite Central Committee and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. He was assigned to the beautiful village of Torre Pelice in the mountains of northwest Italy, where he was the liaison person between the Mennonite Church and the Waldensian Church of Italy. He maintained contact with his Italian friends throughout his life and returned to Italy four times with his wife, Ruth, and his children.
Upon returning to the United States, he was appointed to the Methodist Church in Moulton from 1949 to 1955.
He was united in marriage with Marian Ruth Edwards on Sunday, Feb. 28, 1954, at the Moulton Methodist Church.
Richard graduated from Boston University School of Theology in 1958 with an S.T.B. degree. He was the associate pastor of St. Mark's Methodist Church in Brookline, Mass., during his seminary years. He was ordained an elder in the South Iowa Conference of the Methodist Church that same year.
From 1958-1988 he served as Pastor in Altoona Methodist Church, St. John's United Methodist in Des Moines and tha Newton First United Methodist Church. He then retired to his hometown of Donnellson and pastored the Mennonite-Presbyterian Yoked Fellowship from 1988 to 2005.
He was on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement through the Congress on Racial Equality and the National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People. He and Ruth participated in the historic Civil Rights "March on Washington" on Aug. 28, 1963.
He was an accomplished musician, playing the piano and organ. He toured with the Boston University Seminary Singers and was soloist for many events.
Survivors include: his wife of 56 years, Ruth; two sisters, Margaret B. Gregory and Rosalie J. Bentzinger of Donnellson; four children, Rebecca Jane Bentzinger of Washington, D.C., Sarah Kathryn Clarahan, her husband, Rick, and son, Jacob Daniel, of Sgt Bluff, Iowa, John Wesley Bentzinger of Long Island, N.Y., and Philip Embury and wife Kari Bentzinger, daughter Emma Jane and son Ethan Richard of Lawrence, Kan.; and a number of nieces and nephews and other family members who were a cherished part of his life.
He was born on May 4, 1920, in Donnellson, the son of Carl M. and Edna Jane Benjamin Bentzinger.
Richard was a 1937 graduate of Donnellson High School. He then enrolled at Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in English. He was proud to be a second generation Iowa Wesleyan legacy. He was a member and two-time president of Wesleyan's Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
As a pacifist and conscientious objector, he served in Civilian Public Service under the World Peace Commission of the Methodist Church and Mennonite Central Committee from 1942-46. Objecting to war and violence, he gave witness to his love of God and country in alternative service projects: land conservation (Nebraska), fighting forest fires (Glacier National Park) and working at a state psychiatric hospital (Virginia).
After the War, from 1946-48, he volunteered for relief and rehabilitation work in war-torn Italy under the joint administration of the Mennonite Central Committee and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. He was assigned to the beautiful village of Torre Pelice in the mountains of northwest Italy, where he was the liaison person between the Mennonite Church and the Waldensian Church of Italy. He maintained contact with his Italian friends throughout his life and returned to Italy four times with his wife, Ruth, and his children.
Upon returning to the United States, he was appointed to the Methodist Church in Moulton from 1949 to 1955.
He was united in marriage with Marian Ruth Edwards on Sunday, Feb. 28, 1954, at the Moulton Methodist Church.
Richard graduated from Boston University School of Theology in 1958 with an S.T.B. degree. He was the associate pastor of St. Mark's Methodist Church in Brookline, Mass., during his seminary years. He was ordained an elder in the South Iowa Conference of the Methodist Church that same year.
From 1958-1988 he served as Pastor in Altoona Methodist Church, St. John's United Methodist in Des Moines and tha Newton First United Methodist Church. He then retired to his hometown of Donnellson and pastored the Mennonite-Presbyterian Yoked Fellowship from 1988 to 2005.
He was on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement through the Congress on Racial Equality and the National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People. He and Ruth participated in the historic Civil Rights "March on Washington" on Aug. 28, 1963.
He was an accomplished musician, playing the piano and organ. He toured with the Boston University Seminary Singers and was soloist for many events.
Survivors include: his wife of 56 years, Ruth; two sisters, Margaret B. Gregory and Rosalie J. Bentzinger of Donnellson; four children, Rebecca Jane Bentzinger of Washington, D.C., Sarah Kathryn Clarahan, her husband, Rick, and son, Jacob Daniel, of Sgt Bluff, Iowa, John Wesley Bentzinger of Long Island, N.Y., and Philip Embury and wife Kari Bentzinger, daughter Emma Jane and son Ethan Richard of Lawrence, Kan.; and a number of nieces and nephews and other family members who were a cherished part of his life.
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