My Mom, my best friend

 Patricia “Patsy” Copeland Alphin, 69, of Screven died April 25, 2007, in Wayne Memorial Hospital after an extended illness. The Glynn County native and former life long resident of Glynn County had lived in Wayne County the past six years. She was a Methodist and retired Glynn County school bus driver, and was voted “Most Athletic” in her 1955 Glynn Academy High School class. She was predeceased by a brother, James Copeland. Survivors include her husband of 26 years, Ron Alphin of Screven; a son and daughter-in-law, Edward and Dawn Wheeler of Vine Grove, Ky.; two daughters and a son-in-law, Donna Shoemaker of Elizabethtown, Ky., and Sherry and Curtis Jackson of Brunswick; a sister, Ann “Rena” Lary of Brunswick; a brother, Paul Copeland of Clarksville; a step-son, Ronald Alphin Jr., of Manassas, Va.; a step-daughter, Lisa Alphin of Thornburg, Va.; 12 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

William Hewitt Bentley

Waterford - William Hewitt Bentley, 45, of Waterford, died Dec. 30, 2005, at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital after a 14 month courageous fight with anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Bill was born July 13, 1960, in New London, the son of Lawrence Hewitt and Marcia B. Bentley of Groton.

He was the beloved husband of Barbara (Greenberg) Bentley for 20 years and the father of three teenage sons, Jordan Hewitt Bentley, 18, Spencer Charles Bentley, 16, and Craig Avery Bentley, 14. He is also survived by his brother, David L. Bentley of New York City and his sister, Donna E. Duso and her husband, James Duso, of Oakdale.

Bill was a graduate of Fitch Senior High School, the University of Hartford with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering, and the University of New Haven with a master's degree in business administration.

Bill was a partner in the Groton civil engineering firm of DiCesare-Bentley Engineers which his father co-founded in 1960. He was a licensed professional engineer in the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island and a licensed land surveyor in Connecticut. He was responsible for the site designs of many local facilities including Pequot Clinic for L&M Hospital, Temple Emanu-El, the New London Science and Technology Magnet School, the Jennings School, and several projects for Pfizer. He also participated, as a member of his firm, in numerous other site and subdivision designs including the Mystic Marriott, Home Depot, Chelsea Bank, and others.

Bill had been invited to serve as a corporator of L&M Hospital but had to decline because of his illness. He continued to serve as a member of the L&M Marketing & Public Relations Committee, and he and his wife were members of the LAMBS. He was active in many local organizations as an individual and through DiCesare-Bentley.

Bill was a member of the First Church of Christ, Congregational, Groton and was also a very active member in Temple Emanu-El in support of his wife and children.

Bill was a direct descendant of William Bentley of Ampthill, England, who settled in Kings Towne, Colony of Rhode Island in 1671. Bill is also descended, through his great-grandmother Jenny Hewitt, from Capt. Thomas Hewitt who established a trading post at the head of the Mystic River about 1657 and who married Hannah, Walter Palmer's daughter, in Stonington in 1659. Through Jenny Hewitt, Bill is also a descendant of the other original settlers of Stonington, namely Thomas Stanton, George Denison, William Chesebrough, Thomas Miner, and Robert Parke. In addition he is descended from several other early local area settlers including James Avery through the marriage of Stanton Hewitt Jr. to Mary Avery.

Bill had a multitude of hobbies. From a very young age he had a love for the water as a boater and fisherman. He eventually shared this love with his family as they too became boaters, fishermen, and lobstermen. As an active father, Bill coached baseball and soccer when his boys were young and then became a spectator for their various sports and activities. He enjoyed watching the Patriots and Red Sox with his family and friends. He enjoyed the game of golf with two of his sons. Bill enjoyed eating as well as cooking and was the gourmet chef of the house. He enjoyed bicycling with his wife and shared his most memorable vacation with her, biking and eating for 390 miles across Italy. His passion for technology was shared with his sons. Bill's sense of humor was a gift that he kept until the end.

Visiting hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006, at the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home, 12 Ocean Ave., New London. In addition, Shiva (Memorial Week) will be observed at the Bentley home at 17 Center Road, Waterford, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1 to 9 p.m., on Friday from 1 to 4 p.m., and on Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. All are welcome to come in support of the family and to share their memories of Bill. The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, at Temple Emanu-El, 29 Dayton Road, Waterford. Burial will be following the service in the interfaith section of the Norwich Hebrew Benevolent Association Cemetery in Preston.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill's name to the Patient Fund at the L&M Community Cancer Center, c/o Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, 365 Montauk Ave., New London CT 06320 or to the Hospice of Southeastern CT, 179 Gallivan Lane, Uncasville CT 06382.

Please visit www.neilanfuneralhome.com for directions or to send an online condolence to the family.

Published in The Day on 12/31/2005.