Shirley Ann (Martin) Bentley

Shirley Ann Martin Bentley, of Deane KY, passed away on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at the age of 76.

Shirley was born in Neon, KY, on July 11, 1948 to Cecil and Margaret Jean (Wright) Martin. She attended Fleming-Neon High School, graduated with a Bachelor of Elementary Education from Union College, and received a Masters of Elementary Education from Morehead State University.

In December 1974, she married Larry L. Bentley of Neon at Millstone Missionary Baptist Church. Together they raised two daughters, Stephanie Ann (Ross) Brown of Lexington, KY and Elizabeth Ashley (Brandon) Bentley of Neon, KY.

Shirley was a public school teacher for 40 years, the majority of those years being spent at West Whitesburg Elementary. “Mrs. Bentley” loved her career and cared about the many children she taught over those decades.

She enjoyed music, church, reading, word puzzles, and traveling. However, the greatest joy in her life was spending time with her granddaughter, Hadley Elizabeth Brown and her three grandsons-Baylor Kyle, Jaxson Colt, and Sawyer Tate Bentley. Her self-proclaimed greatest accomplishment was being their Gran.

In addition to her children and grandchildren Shirley is survived by three loving sisters, Kay (Cleve) Collier of Whitesburg, Shelia (Larry) Arnett of Berea, and Ceclia Lynn (Jeff) Bates of Whitesburg as well as a host of nieces, nephews, family, and friends.

She is preceded in death by Larry, her parents, father-in-law (BF Bentley), mother-in-law(Latisha Bentley), a close brother-in-law, Cleve Collier, and a special sister-in-law, Ramona Taylor.

Funeral: 12:00 O'clock Noon Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at the Letcher Funeral Home Chapel with Bill Craft and Ken Holbrook officiating. Visitation: 6:00 P.M. Tuesday at the Letcher Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in the Riley Bentley Cemetery at Deane, Kentucky.