Mary Charles Bentley

Mary Charles Bentley was born in Knoxville, Tn. to parents Dr. Charles Brown Stacy and Hazel Byerly Stacy on October 26th, 1936. Mary Charles was a lifelong Christian, strongly motivated by her beliefs. She and her husband Reese were instrumental in founding a church in Knoxville in 1977. She also helped found and support a homeless shelter in Pineville, and opened her home to many believers over the years. Mary Charles attended Pineville public schools, Gulf Park boarding school, and the University of Kentucky, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She married George Reese Bentley in 1958. The young couple lived in various locations in the Tennessee valley in support of Reese’s engineering career, landing eventually in Knoxville. In 1981 Mary Charles moved back to Pineville to care for her and husband’s parents, and stayed in Bell County at Middlesboro for years after. She moved to Nashville six years ago to live out her last days with her loving daughter-in-law, Stacey Bentley. Mary Charles was 85 and passed from Covid related pneumonia Thursday, January 27th, at a hospital in Nashville surrounded by family both in person and via video. Her funeral will be in her hometown of Pineville, Kentucky, Saturday, February 19 at 1 pm at Arnett and Steele Funeral Home. Interment of her ashes will follow in a private ceremony for family. All who knew Mary Charles will recall her larger-than-life personality and extensive conversations on wide-ranging topics. She exercised a vivid imagination and a restless curiosity about the world around us. She laughed often and loved to entertain an audience. Her family, loved ones, and relationship with God were never far from her heart. Mary Charles is survived by sons, Charles in Guatemala, John and partner, Daniel Zahn in Atlanta, Ga., and William and partner, Amy Rogers in Waterbury, Vt.; grandchildren, Julia and husband, Joel DeSomber in Guatemala, Margaret in Rochester, NY and Macpherson in Burlington, Vt., Reese in Atlanta, Ga; great-grandchildren, Delroy in Guatemala. She was preceded in death by her infant son, George Reese Bentley, III and loving husband, Reese. If you feel so called, the family asks that, in lieu of flowers, any donations be made to Bell-Whitley Community Action Agency (P.O. Box 159, Pineville, Kentucky 40977 606-337-3044) to support local people in need. Arnett & Steele Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Pineville, Kentucky is honored to serve the Bentley Family. Light a candle of remembrance and sign the guest register at www.arnettsteele.com.