Wayne Frederick Bentel

Wayne Frederick Bentel, 81, of Whitewater, died Monday, July 13, 2026, in Janesville, Wis., following a long illness.

He was born in Chicago on December 13, 1944, to Adolph and June (Madsen) Bentel. He spent his childhood in Antioch, Ill., where he graduated from Antioch High School. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving four years at Wethersfield Air Base, England. Upon his return, he worked in the family heating and air conditioning business before enrolling at Lake County Community College, then Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Special Education. He went on to earn his master’s degree in Education Administration from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb.

He was employed as a teacher and teaching supervisor at Special Education District of Lake County (SEDOL) in Gurnee, Ill. In 1980, he moved with his two sons to Thermopolis, Wyo., where he was employed as principal, then superintendent at Big Horn Basin Board of Cooperative Services, running a residential school/treatment center for children with disabilities, along with other services, for 17 Wyoming school districts. He held that position for 17 years before returning to SEDOL to establish a residential school for adjudicated juvenile sex offenders, serving as principal. He retired from there in 2006 and moved Arkansas “to fish” and return to his roots in the classroom; he taught Resource at Green Forest and Eureka Springs high schools, officially retiring in 2012.

Wayne was married and divorced twice before being introduced to his life partner. On May 14, 1983, he married Connie (Reese) Lucht in Thermopolis. The couple enjoyed 43 loving years. They shared a mutual love of history and especially enjoyed traveling the country visiting battlefields and historical sites.

Wayne lived a life of service. Besides the military, he was heavily involved in church and community. He served on church boards, town council and as Wyoming governor of the Council for Exceptional Children. In this role, he traveled to China and Russia as an educational ambassador. He envisioned and started the People for People Sunday food program, which has served tens of thousands of free hot meals in the past 25 years. He also established the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Fishing Has No Boundaries, a two-day fishing event for people with disabilities, and served on FHNB’s national board. He coached little league baseball and youth basketball. The list goes on. He was a Rotarian and member of the American Legion.

He loved the outdoors and found his peace on the water. He loved fishing more than any activity, ever anticipating his annual trip to Canada. In retirement, he found warmer places to drop a line, and particularly enjoyed spending long hours on his boat on Tablerock Lake.

He is survived by his wife, of Whitewater; sons, Brian (Akiko) Bentel, Whitewater, Daniel (Tonya) Bentel, Scottsdale, Ariz., Nicholas Bentel, Whitewater; stepsons, Mark (Diane) Pavey, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and Aaron Lucht, Dallas, Texas; siblings, Judy Kerby, Hayward, Wis., Candace (Jim) Brownlee, Golf Breeze, Fla., Steve (Patti) Bentel, DeForest, Wis., and Fred (Mary) Bentel, Paddock Lake, Wis.; 10 grandchildren; a great-grandson; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother-in-law, Ray Kerby; nephew, Adolph Kerby; and lifelong friend, Tony Jones.

Visitation will be Saturday, July 18, from 1-3 p.m., with a prayer service at 2:30 p.m., at Henke-Clarson Funeral Home, 1010 N. Wright Rd., Janesville. Cremation will follow, with burial at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery, Union Grove.

Memorials may be made in Wayne’s name to People For People, c/o Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 624 Arapahoe, Thermopolis, WY 82443; Fishing Has No Boundaries, P.O Box 175, Hayward, WI 54843 or online at fhnbinc.org; or Walworth County Food Bank, 205 Commerce Ct., Elkhorn, WI 53121.