Dottie Berbakos Bentley

Dottie Berbakos Bentley, age 74, of Perry, passed away Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at her home while living graciously and courageously with cancer until the very end. She was born December 19, 1948 in Washington DC, the daughter of Nick and Dorothy (Horner) Berbakos. She married Dennis Bentley on February 21, 1981. After graduating from Lake Erie College in 1970 she went on to work for the City of Painesville where she was the 1^st Female Urban Renewal Director in the country. At age 22, she ran for Painesville City School Board as a write-in candidate and in 1979, she was nominated for the Lake County Women's Hall of Fame. Dottie then became a Certified Arborist and was owner operator of Berbakos Landscaping and Tree Service. She also served as a certified CSX Railway Safety Trainer. Her passion for helping others and her love for animals led her to open and manage Evergreen Farms, a horse boarding facility, in 1999, where she lovingly cared for many horses over the years. She loved 4H, and was an advisor for over 15 years because she believed in the values and the opportunities it provides for youth development. She also served as a board member for the Painesville Credit Union for 12 years where she not only believed in the credit union philosophy of “people helping people”, but she also worked to ensure that it stayed as a top priority in every aspect of the organization. A lover of red lipstick, paying it forward, the sunshine, and laughter. She is survived by her husband, Dennis; children, Nick (Morgan) Bentley, Dorothy (Jarred Taylor) Bentley, Michael Bentley, Dennis “Ron” (Heather) Bentley; grandchildren, Marissa Bentley, Dylan Bentley, and Hannah Bentley. She was preceded in death by her grandson, Michael Bentley, her parents and sister, Nicki Leon. Friends will be received 4-7 pm Thursday, March 9, 2023 at the Behm Family Funeral Home, 26 River St., in Madison. A celebration of life will be held Friday, March 17^th, 2023 from 4-8, at the Youth & Community Center at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1301 Mentor Avenue, Painesville, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lake County 4H, 105 Main Street 4B, Painesville, Ohio 44077. When sending a check, please write “In Memory of Dottie Bentley” in the memo. Online obituary and condolences may be viewed at www.behmfuneral.com