Family buries father year after son died in Iraq
By JULIET FLETCHER
Staff Writer, 856-237-9020
Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008
NEWFIELD - A father whose son became a local casualty of the war in Iraq a year ago has died.David Bentz Jr., 45, who had been ill for some time, was in a stroke-induced coma last June when his son, Pfc. David "DJ" Bentz III, was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Baghdad.He only learned the news from family members once he emerged from unconsciousness.At his funeral in Glassboro on Friday, following his death from cancer, an array of trinkets, photos and precious mementos displayed around his casket were seen as a testament to his last year, much of which was spent trying to come to terms with his son's death. Some snapshots showed Bentz Jr. with DJ shortly before his deployment, or by himself, with the glittering water behind him."He really just wanted to be with DJ," said his sister, Mary Bentz, shortly after the service. "They used to go fishing together on the Delaware Bay."
She stopped to load a floral tribute into her car. A plush toy fish was attached to its wreath. "I gave this to him when he was in the hospital," she said. "He called it 'Bubba.' I didn't get it, but he later said he and DJ used to say they were going looking for a fish called 'Bubba.' "One year later, members of the family have faced not only the fresh bereavement, but another twelve months of landmark dates, where they have found new ways to remember the young soldier.On Memorial Day this year, the family received a flag as part of a ceremony at Mount Olive where veterans offered a flag for every local soldier lost in the conflict.And in the previous September, once Bentz Jr., had recovered strength after the stroke, he attended a special presentation in Clayton, where he received his son's posthumous medals.At the time, he had described feeling "one month behind" the rest of the family in absorbing the news about his son.One discovery had brought Bentz Jr. a proud postscript to Bentz III's service.Kimberly Geonnotti, who was married to Bentz Jr. for several years and has been vocal in trying to gain recognition for DJ, said Thursday that she had taken a trip to Georgia to meet another soldier whose life DJ reportedly saved.A series of handwritten letters from the soldier in the five weeks of his deployment detailed one incident where Bentz III helped rescue a buddy under small arms fire and drove him to safety. The army subsequently confirmed the report, and Geonnotti said she had had the opportunity to meet the soldier last week.But on Thursday, she said, the family first wanted time to grieve for Bentz Jr., who had contended with losing a son during his own illness."He found it so hard," said Mary Bentz. Mementos of his son, she said, had remained painful for Bentz III. "He couldn't really look at them," she said. "All he wanted was to see DJ again."E-mail Juliet Fletcher:JFletcher@pressofac.com
Print Story
Email Story
