Springfield physician and humanitarian John D. Bentley died Friday at age 88.
Bentley, a cardiologist and internist, served in private practice for 35 years. In 1985, he began volunteering many hours every week serving the unsheltered and poor as the founding medical director of the Kitchen Clinic.
In 2003, he helped establish and find funding for the Jordan Valley Community Health Center, according to his obituary.
He is survived by his wife, Roseann Knauer Bentley, retired Missouri State Senator and Greene County Commissioner; four children, Jeff Bentley, Chris Bentley, Melissa Allen and Jonathan Bentley; their spouses, Julia Griesemer Bentley, Beth Bentley, Robert Allen and Kunti Senesi Bentley; and 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.
Mayor reflects on Dr. Bentley’s service
“John Bentley’s legacy will live on in this community forever,” said Springfield Mayor Ken McClure in a statement. “Springfield is a better place because of Dr. Bentley.
“Dr. Bentley offered a lifetime of service to others and changed the Springfield community for the better,” McClure said. “He saved many lives, and for others who knew him — he made their lives better.”
Bentley came to Missouri in 1952 as an ROTC student at the University of Missouri, his obituary said.
“In the 71 years since then, he enriched the lives of many Missourians through his compassion, friendship, hard work and humble service,” the obituary said.
“After four years as a Navy aviator in Okinawa, Japan, he worked for 35 years in private practice as a cardiologist/internist in Springfield, Mo., from 1968 to 2003,” the obituary reads. “In 1985, he began spending many additional volunteer hours each week as the founding medical director of the Kitchen Clinic, serving the homeless and poor alongside Sister Lorraine Biebel. Then, after what he called his retirement, in 2003, he helped establish and win funding and recognition for the Jordan Valley Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center serving the Ozarks’ medically underprivileged population. He served there as medical director and family practitioner for two decades, continuing to treat patients into his 80s.”
Bentley named 2002 Humanitarian of the Year
“In recognition of his service over the years, the community honored him with many awards, including the 1999 Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Salute to Healthcare Award, the 2000 Council of Churches’ Gift of Time Volunteer of the Year Award, the 2002 Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Humanitarian of the Year Award, the 2003 Missouri State Medical Association’s Citizenship and Community Service Award, the 2010 Missourian Award, and the 2015 Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s Springfieldian Award — an award his wife Roseann previously had won in 2003,” the obituary reads.
Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Friday at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home.
A Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Agnes Cathedral.
