Richard Bentrup

Wadena, Minnesota resident Richard “Dick” Edmund Bentrup was born on April 5, 1946 to Reverend Edmund Albert and Margaret Louise (Bollman) Bentrup in Bremerton, WA. Dick graduated with a degree in Sociology in 1969 from Moorhead State College. He served in the United States Army from February 5, 1969 until his honorable discharge December 20, 1971. He and Lin Christensen were married on July 11, 1970 at First Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, MN. They made their home in Wadena where they raised their two children David and Martee. Dick served for many years on the Wadena Public School and Technical School boards, as Past President of Wadena Rotary, on the Wadena County Adult and Child Protection Teams, as a Church Elder, and on the board to merge the technical schools in Northwest Minnesota. Dick will be remembered as the social worker at Tri-County Hospital for 39 years, who touched many lives in many ways, even after his retirement in 2010. He was a member of the Wadena Rotary Club and American Legion. His interests included golfing, camping, raising roses, tumbling rocks, and reading. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family and being surrounded by friends. Dick passed away with family at his side, on January 4, 2012, at the age of 65, at his home in Wadena. He is survived by his loving wife Lin; daughter Martee Lin (Tom) Herman of Yankton, SD; son David Richard (Kari) Bentrup of Alexandria; granddaughter Alison; brothers Thomas of Eagan, Paul (Karen) of Kennewick, WA; Mark (June) of Chanhassen; and John of Chipita Park, CO; sister Mary (Ken) Wagner of Fisher; and a host of friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Rev. Edmund and Margaret Bentrup. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 9, 2012 at Trinity Lutheran Church in New York Mills with Pastor Carlton Andersen officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Bryan Bentrup, John Elvehjen, Adele Lausten, Nancy Tumberg, Hans Wagner, Andy Wrase and Jim Wynn. Pallbearers will be Andrea Craig, Joni Dailey, Jenny Doll, Shanna Hendrickson, Rose Lorentz, Brenda Packer, Cindy Scott, and Amy Widmark. Military honors will be provided by the Elmer Goche Post 3922, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wadena, MN. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Fisher, MN in the spring. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to Tri-County Hospital in Wadena.

Richard Bentrup

April 5, 1946 - January 4, 2012