#2385512 - 05/04/11 06:07 PM
A post I've been dreading to write.
|
sgtwebb1
14 Point
Registered: 08/06/00
Posts: 8492
Loc: Ooltewah/Harrison TN, USA
|
Offline
|
|
Forgive me if I ramble with this, and for it being so long, but all day my thoughts have been clouded, a jumbled mishmash of emotions and memories, many that have only come back to me since I last spoke to Jeff Bentley a couple weeks ago.
I've went from crying to laughing to crying to laughing since I got the call from Keith (Nimrod) this morning.
You see, I've known Jeff Bentley since we were both young kids at Bradley High School in Cleveland, about 1976.
We were pretty good friends all 4 years, had classes together, worked on cars, chased girls, cruised the streets of "Cleve-Vegas", generally acted like goofballs together, heck even had the same goofy hairdo ( mine was much longer though-don't think I didn't remind him either  )
He was pretty much the same guy then that he remained all the rest of his life.
He always had this dry sense of humor, and let me tell you, when he had the goods on a guy, he could flat bring it....  -but never in a mean spirited way. He always was a guy that could rib and bust on you, but only so far. He never was ugly, just mischevious about stuff.
I have a bunch of goofy stories of him from school, most of which I'll keep to myself, mainly because it hurts too much to think about.
We graduated, and like many, lost touch with one another. I went into the Army, and stayed gone for years. By the time I got back to Cleveland (and my sanity-mostly), about 15 years had gone by.
I started to see Jeff occasionally at the ER I worked at for so long, he'd be at the hospital visiting folks occasionally, and we had some great talks.
You could have knocked me over with a feather the first time I found out he was a Preacher (I'd love to have seen my own face).
I thought for sure he was pulling one of his patented jokes, but soon realized it was true. And it didn't surprise me in the least. He always was one of those guys that it just seemed to fit.
That was really the extent of most of the contact we had for a number of years. I'd see him up at the hospital every now and then, and we always made a point to have a quick conversation, see how the other had done hunting or fishing, catch up on the other's kids, that sort of thing.
Then one day, after I'd been on TNDeer several years, for some reason, I got a funny feeling I might know one of the posters, this "NBForrest" person. Some story he had posted, I think. So I PM'd the guy, and sure enough, it was my old buddy Jeff Bentley  .
We PM'd each other pretty regularly on here over the ensuing years, he would always fill me in on things I'd missed on here, and let me know of the local Cleveland news about folks we'd known as kids. He always came thru with the Prayer Warrior Network when asked, let me tell you.
Some of the stuff he posted on here has become legend;
my favorite has always been his "Attack on PETA" at the Cleveland KFC....I have laughed at that so hard, and have shared that story so many times, along with the now-infamous photo of him with that goofy grin and "People Eating Tasty Animals" sign standing next to the PETA nuts  ...................this was just classic Jeff Bentley, people.
I have agonized his illness the past couple years.
Being a nurse for as long as I have, sometimes knowing the things I know just absolutely sucks.
He's shared a few things with me, asked some questions, asked for prayers via PM and emails since his cancer was diagnosed, just a few times, but enough for me to know how he was doing. Enough for me to know he really understood his disease, and just where he stood in the scheme of it. I always kept it between us, he never asked, never had to.
The last time we were in contact was just after his last post on TNDeer letting folks know his cancer had spread. He was upbeat as usual, but I knew. I think he did too.
That was the last time I heard from my old friend.
I regret not being as close a friend to him as I would've liked, but I have a large family, and never enough time to do things outside of it.
I know Jeff understood that.
I know Jeff loved his family more than anything on this earth.
I know Jeff was a good, Godly man that loved Jesus and served Him unashamedly.
I know that I will miss him, and will think of him often.
I will remember his goofy, parted in the middle hairdo (which looks oddly just like my own "do"-- (old joke- you had to have been there-  )
I will remember him trying to tell me a story (between laughing himself breathless) about a school dance, a couple of goobers in neon colored tuxedoes, a rainstorm, and flat tire... ( that story's kind of foggy--wish I could remember it myself but he never could tell it without laughing till he cried )
I will remember him standing out there holding up that sign in front of those PETA nuts grinning like a possum wearing sunglasses.
I will remember him sharing his witness with me late one evening some years back, and how profoundly it moved me.
I will remember him selling me a muzzleloader for my youngest son a couple years ago he'd bought at an estate sale, and how my son cherishes that gun. And that gun will now never leave my possession- I'm quite sentimental like that.
I will remember his many posts on TNDeer, the PM's and emails we shared.
Above all, I will remember the grace in which he bore himself, even after learning he had cancer. Even after he realized the treatments had stopped working and the cancer had spread all over, he kept his grace, which is of course, is his greatest testimony and witness.
Even when he realized what he was up against, he still gave Glory to God.
And THAT I will remember my old friend for most of all.
Farewell, Jeff. I'll look you up soon.
Tony Webb
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#2385516 - 05/04/11 06:12 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: sgtwebb1]
|
LA man
16 Point
Registered: 05/31/03
Posts: 18624
Loc: spencer, tn/houma, la.
|
|
Offline
|
|
great post, although i never met jeff i will miss him dearly
_________________________
GO LSU
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2385517 - 05/04/11 06:14 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: LA man]
|
Jon
TnDeer Old Timer
8 Point
Registered: 08/05/99
Posts: 1790
Loc: Warren co.
|
|
Offline
|
|
great post, although i never met jeff i will miss him dearly
Could not say it any better.....great post Tony.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2385518 - 05/04/11 06:15 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: LA man]
|
moondawg
16 Point
Registered: 06/19/02
Posts: 17814
Loc: Millington, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
Awesome post, Sarge. I didn't know him all that well, but what little contact I had with him, I just knew he was a good guy.
_________________________
Don't look down, BE down!--Turkeyburd (Prevous 2012)
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2385522 - 05/04/11 06:18 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: sgtwebb1]
|
Grizzly Johnson
Good ol' Boys "Team Grizzly"
16 Point
Registered: 10/07/08
Posts: 12900
Loc: Mid. TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
Thank you for sharing.....
_________________________
Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding.
Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2385526 - 05/04/11 06:23 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: Grizzly Johnson]
|
Wildcat
Non-Typical
Registered: 06/10/00
Posts: 39182
Loc: Western Ky.
|
|
Offline
|
|
Good post!!
_________________________
A Government that does not trust its law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, is itself unworthy of trust..... - James Madison
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2385529 - 05/04/11 06:27 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: Grizzly Johnson]
|
Carlos Viagra
16 Point
Registered: 11/20/04
Posts: 12934
Loc: Cumberland Plateau
|
|
Offline
|
|
Excellent post for sure, very sorry about the loss but glad you shared this with us.
_________________________
Do not be slothful- for yesterday and tomorrow are thieves of today.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2385533 - 05/04/11 06:33 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: Carlos Viagra]
|
Swamphunter
12 Point
Registered: 12/27/07
Posts: 6452
Loc: Munford, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
Wow. Great post.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2385534 - 05/04/11 06:36 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: sgtwebb1]
|
buckhorn40
Non-Typical
Registered: 07/03/06
Posts: 27456
Loc: Crossville
|
|
Offline
|
|
Great post!
_________________________
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#2385546 - 05/04/11 06:42 PM
Re: A post I've been dreading to write.
[Re: buckhorn40]
|
knightrider
10 Point
Registered: 09/27/10
Posts: 4796
Loc: claiborne
|
|
Offline
|
|
great post and he will be missed, rip jeff
_________________________
behold the lamb of GOD,when he nocks please answer it may be your last chance!!!!
happy hunters against armchair biology
killing tomorrows trophies today
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: RUGER, Unicam, gtk, Tennessee Todd, Lakeland Charlie, Cuttin Caller, CBU93, stretch, Outdoor Lady, TurkeyBurd, MAN, Bobby G
|
12168 Members
39 Forums
117692 Topics
1428901 Posts
Max Online: 756 @ 11/20/12 09:10 AM
|
|
|
The TnDeer.Com Deer Talk Forum is for Tennessee Deer Hunters by Tennessee Deer Hunters. If you enjoy using our Talk Forum and would like to contribute to help in it's up-keep. Just submit your contribution by clicking on the DONATE button below and paying with PayPal or a major credit card. Any amount is much appreciated. Thanks for your support!
|
|
|
