Janice K. Bentley, 76, was born March 14, 1950, in Thayer, Missouri, and departed this life on September 17, 2026, in West Plains, Missouri.
She was born the daughter of Herman Mills and Pauline (Cantrell) Mills. She was married in 1968 to Darrell Bentley of Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, and to this union one daughter was born, Angela.
She worked at the Town & Country in Thayer for 22 years before she moved to Springfield where she worked for Cox South as a Phlebotomist for 17 years before she retired in 2016.
Once she moved back to West Plains, Janice attended Genesis Church and Faith Chapel.
Janice is survived by her sisters, June Wyatt, of West Plains, and Hazel Estep, of Raymore; special nieces, Sonia Chritton and her husband Mike, Stephanie Cooper and her husband Jay, and Amber Wyatt; great-nieces, Ava Cooper and Amelia Herndon; great-nephews, Andrew Cooper and wife Braylen, and Whit Herndon; a very special great-great-nephew, Waylon Cooper; along with several other nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Pauline Mills; daughter and son-in-law Angela and Bryan Deaton; and her sisters, Georgia Reef, Helen Ramsey, and Rita Doughtery.
Janice will always be remembered for the love and devotion she had for her family. She was a humble, modest woman who found joy in putting others before herself and caring deeply for the people she loved.
Memorials can be sent to:
St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Online Donations – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Or left with the funeral home
Officiating will be Brother Jason Roberts. Pallbearers will be Terry Kirby, Jeff Ramsey, Randy Wyatt, Jay Cooper, Andrew Cooper, and Whit Herndon. Honorary Pallbearer will be Waylon Cooper.
A Visitation will be held on Monday, September 21, 2026, at the Carter Funeral Home Chapel from 11:00 a.m. until time to leave for the Graveside Service commencing at Noon, at the Thayer Cemetery of Thayer, Missouri.
Services in care of Carter Funeral Home Inc., – Thayer, Mo