Clifford G. Bentley

Clifford G. Bentley, 91, of Swisher, Iowa, passed away on Friday, December 5, 2025. Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. A luncheon will be held after services in the Legacy Center at Murdoch-Linwood, concluding at 1:30 p.m. Private burial will take place at St. John’s Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Clifford was born on June 22, 1934, to Lawrence and Mildred (Emery) Bentley on the family farm in Bluffton, Iowa. He attended a one-room country school and worked on the farm until age 18, when he moved to Cedar Rapids and was hired at Penick & Ford. He retired from the company after 44½ years. Clifford served in the United States Army and was a member of St. Ludmila Catholic Church.

He married Viola Sperfslage on October 8, 1958, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earlville, Iowa. The couple lived in rural Ely, Iowa, and later in Shueyville, Iowa, where in 1966 he began building their home. Clifford was a hard worker who enjoyed helping others. He cut trees and sold firewood for many years and also poured cement and installed retaining walls made of railroad ties or blocks.

Clifford made the most of life. He loved hunting, fishing, bowling, playing cards, and shooting pool. He enjoyed spending time with friends and family, often over a drink or two. In his younger years Clifford liked roller skating and dancing, and later in life he found joy in gardening and staying busy with any project that needed doing. His strong work ethic stayed with him his entire life

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Viola Bentley of Swisher; his children, Linda Melsha and Lori (Tom) Sanders, all of Cedar Rapids, Joseph (Amanda Bibb) Bentley of Iowa City, and Chris (Stephanie) Bentley of Solon; eleven grandchildren, AJ Melsha, Travis Melsha, Kelly Sanders, Bobbie Sanders (Gage West), Jacob Bibb, Kyle (Sharron) Bentley, Kolton Bentley, Adam Bibb-Bentley, Zach (Ashlyn) Bentley, Jake Bentley, and Hunter Bentley; great-grandchildren, Kenzie Sanders, James Bentley, and Charlotte Bentley; many nieces and nephews, and several cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Michael Bentley; his brothers, Ted Bentley and Claude Bentley; sisters, Charlotte McMurrin, Margaret Brandt, and Betty Dawley; his brothers-in-law, Albert McMurrin, Mervin Brandt, and Clifford Dawley; and sisters-in-law, Mary Bentley and Buetta Bentley.

Memorials may be directed to the family.