Jerry W. Bentle

June 15, 1944 - January 18, 2016

Jerry W. Bentle, formerly of Amasa, passed away at the age of 71 on January 18th, 2016 at The Iron County Medical Care Facility. Jerry was an entrepreneur who had several occupations in his life, including being a drafter, fabricator, and welder. With these skills he designed and built fire truck and utility truck bodies. He was also "Mr. Radiator" of Amasa for several years, as well as had his own sawmill business cutting birds-eye and curly maple. He also had a stint as a logging truck driver and tree trimmer. He was also an excellent auto mechanic and body man. In his younger years, Jerry was a winning race car driver and mechanic on the short tracks of central Wisconsin. He claimed that he and his team never beat Dick Trickle, but they "ran him into the wall" a few times. His love of NASCAR continued until he passed. He rode Harley Davidsons in the summer and Arctic Cats in the winter. Jerry was a Green Bay Packers fan and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved classic cars and could fix or build just about anything out of steel or wood, though he preferred steel, because he could cut it apart and weld it back together if needed. Jerry's hands were always busy, whether tinkering in his shop on some new project, growing tomatoes in his greenhouse, or sipping Old Style. He was rarely at a loss for words. He was witty and intelligent, had a keen eye and attention to detail, would bend over backwards to help anyone, but he was "not your buddy." His fully kreusened body will be cremated and his ashes will be buried next to his son Travis Aaron "Chip" Bentle in the Hematite Township Cemetery. On Saturday May 7th, a private service for family and close friends will be held at his shop on Bates-Amasa Rd, and later in the day a public remembrance ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Iron County Relay for Life cancer benefit at the Horseshoe Bar in Amasa. More details on these events will be released as the time gets nearer. Condolences to the family of Jerry Bentle may be expressed online at www.nashfuneralhome.net The family has entrusted the Nash Funeral Home of Crystal Falls with the arrangements.