JEFFREY MARK BENDER
1951-2020
Jeffrey Mark (“Luke and John Elvis Presley Mickey Mantle”) Bender, age 68, went to walk his daily 10,000 steps in the Great Beyond on March 16, 2020 after fighting a long battle with renal cell carcinoma. Jeff was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He was born in Lewisburg, PA on May 29, 1951, spent his childhood in Orwigsburg, PA and lived in The Woodlands, TX the past 26 years. He also had a home at Smith Mountain Lake, VA, where he and his wife, Jenny, had created their dream home, and liked to spend summers.
Jeff graduated from Blue Mountain High School and Penn State University. Jeff worked in Human Resources for 34 years. He was with ARCO and ARCO subsidiaries including Vastar for 27 years and Apache Corporation for 7 years as Vice President of Human Resources. Jeff was a devoted father to his two daughters and loved being their soccer coach and watching them grow up to share his love of running. A lifelong runner, Jeff became an avid walker in his later years.
Jeff was preceded in death by his mother, Joanna Boehmer Bender, and his father, Frederick Bender. He leaves behind his wife of 46 years, Jennifer Bolton Bender, daughters and sons-in-law, Jessica Gorman (Joshua) of
Scottsdale, AZ and Janelle Phelps (Andrew) of Eagle,
ID, and his four precious grandsons William Gorman, Hunter Phelps, Benjamin Gorman, and Grady Phelps. Also left behind are his brother Frederick Bender (Susan) and his sister Linda Fiscus and loving sisters and brothers-in-law and nieces and nephews. Jeff had a huge network of friends and family, and he never met a stranger.
A memorial service will be held at a later date when loved ones can travel safely and celebrate his life together.
In Lieu of flowers the family request donations be sent to Jeff and Jenny’s Egypt School for Girls, G11 – El Ma’mal; checks made out to “Springboard-Educating the Future” mailed to Bill Pearce, Apache Corp.(Springboard for Education) 2000 Post
Oak Blvd, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77056 or a charity of your choice.