April 7, 1942 – September 12, 2025
Merlin Gary Bentley was born to Beba (Overstrud) and Lyle Bentley on April 7, 1942 at his parents’ home in Bluffton, Iowa. His first bassinet was a shoe box.
Merlin attended a one room schoolhouse in Bluffton through 8th grade. Even with just an 8th grade education, he was a wiz at math, faster than a calculator. He was always tricking the grandkids with math equations.
Merlin met Alice Klegseth when she was in high school while on a blind date. He was her “cookie” and they were inseparable. They were married June 26, 1965 on a rainy Saturday at Waterloo Ridge in rural Spring Grove, Minnesota. Together they raised four children: Larry William, Rebecca Ann, Lori Anne and Merlin James Jr.
In May of 1970, Merlin and Alice bought the Bentley Pine Ridge Farm in Bluffton. This century farm had been in the family since 1882, and Merlin was a fifth-generation farmer. When he wasn’t farming, he also enjoyed junk’n old trucks. Merlin was an animal lover. He raised sheep and looked forward to every lambing season. He found great joy and pride in watching the strong lambs run and jump. Like any farmer, he seemed hard on the outside but always took time to grieve the loss of any life on the farm.
In addition to farming, Merlin’s working career included driving truck. He began trucking in July 1964. He would haul anything, and everything you could think of. He began hauling livestock and junk, and eventually hauled gluten, grain and watermelons. He drove a big green truck, and he rolled the odometer over 3 times during its use. Sometimes making 3-4 trips to Cedar Rapids each day. Alice kept the farm going and raised the kids while Merlin was over the road hauling. And when he wasn’t trucking, he spent every second he had home with his family.
Merlin and Alice were married for 55 years. In January 2020, Merlin lost the love of his life and hadn’t been the same since. He always said the greatest thing he ever did in life, was meet “his Alice”.
Merlin spent his later years trucking for the Decorah Sales Commission, going to town on Fridays with his daughter Lori, putting puzzles together, and watching the changes of life on the farm.
Merlin passed away September 12, 2025, in Bluffton at the age of 83. He left this earth eager to be reunited with “his Alice” again.
Merlin was preceded in death by his wife Alice, daughter Rebecca Bentley, parents Lyle and Beba Bentley and grandparents Guy and Millie Bentley.
Survivors include his children, Larry (Dena) Bentley, Lori (Lance) Matter and Merlin Jr. (Sydney) Bentley, three grandchildren: Erik Bentley Matter, Anna Elise (Savon) Love and Leif William Matter and a great-granddaughter Zosia Leona Love. Additional survivors include his special extended family: Kim Brown, Pamela Brown, William Seelye, Travis Coons, Ryan Gronna and the Dawley families.
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