Tribute to my “Other Mother”

Aldene Blanche Blair Bentz

July 4, 1931 – May 21, 2010

No words can describe someone’s life in a befitting manner. They are the ones who lived it and we are the mere observers no matter how close we are to that one. How do you tell in a brief blog post the impact that a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, mother-in-law, friend and ‘person passing through your life eager to tell you about Jesus’ has made in 78 years on this earth?  There is no adequate way, so you speak of how this one was special to you and those you love…

Aldene Bentz is the real Grandma Bentz – and she is my mother-in-law. Better said, she is the one who gave birth to the man I have shared my life with for nearly 34 years, and she is the grandmother of our three children and great-grandmother of our two grandchildren born to our son Cameron, her first grandson. I say ‘is’ because she is more alive now than she ever was this side of heaven. She will never hold the place of ‘was’ in my heart and memory.

Friends in her era called her ‘Deeney’. In our era of the Bentz family, we all called her ‘Mom’. And later as the grandkids came she wore proudly the title of ‘Grandma.’ Our daughter Misty was born on Grandma Bentz’s birthday, Independence Day. A favorite photo is Misty on her first birthday sitting on Grandma’s lap on her 50^th birthday.

Mom Bentz loved and loves Jesus. Living a fulfilling life for her – besides taking care of her family – was seeing to it that the family of God was expanded one new believer at a time. She was one of Spokane’s evangelists in her realm of life and influence. Whether selling Avon, sharing coffee and a chat with the neighbor, getting a church started in her own community of Elk, Washington or nearly single-handedly running the Elk community food bank, Mom took the role of ‘heaven’s hostess’ and held open the door to salvation for seeking folks. She would snatch the opportunity and nothing brought her more joy. She’s probably bending Jesus’ ear right now in gleeful delight!

Mom Bentz mothered and raised four children of her own – two sons and two daughters. Last June, she and Dad Bentz celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary with a family dinner at a favorite local restaurant. The photo in this post of Mom’s bright smile was taken that day, a handful of months before she started not feeling good and losing her appetite. Though she had beat breast cancer (and true to her stance of faith it did not return in her lifetime), a more subtle but evil cancer began to plague her body. The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer did not flag her spirit. If anything, her faith stayed strong even as her body grew weaker day by day.

On May 21, 2010, the day our youngest daughter Brandy graduated with her BSN from Beth-El School of Nursing in Colorado Springs, Grandma Bentz graduated with her – from this life to eternal life. About 30 minutes before the grand strains of Pomp and Circumstance began the processional of the graduates, Aldene Bentz stepped gracefully across the threshold of heaven’s open doors, not as ‘heaven’s hostess’ this time, but as the guest of honor.

Mom Bentz will live on in my memory, but even more so as I hold her son in my arms. Her son, my husband. Thank you, Mom, for the most precious gift you could give me. Because of you, your generations live on.

With my deep love to you, Mom…

Grandma Nanc – because I may be Grandma Bentz now, too, but you earned it first. It befits you.

Proverbs 31:28  “Her children arise and call her blessed…”

©2010 Nancy C. Bentz – Author’s permission granted to forward this devotional piece in its entirety, including this copyright line.  For more devotionals, to leave a comment, or to subscribe to this blog, visit https://shammahsfield.com