Yutona Nelson Bentley

Yutona N. Bentley Yutona Nelson Bentley July 21, 1940 – September 8, 2012 left us suddenly and way too soon. She was born in Las Vegas, NV to Gertrude and James Nelson. Yutona loved the desert and the beauty of it. She loved to explore ghost towns and old junk yards with her family. Growing up around Las Vegas, NV provided several opportunities for these activities. While attending Las Vegas High School Yutona was a member of both the newspaper and yearbook staff. One of the highlights of these years was when Diana Shore spoke at her high school and Yutona and other members of the newspaper staff interviewed her for the school newspaper. Yutona was also a member of the first graduating class of Rancho High School in Las Vegas. Yutona attended Dixie College in St. George, UT were she made lifelong friends and met the man she would eventually marry, Reed Bentley. Set up on a blind date by mutual friends, those crazy kids got married 3 years later. They were married on Sept. 22, 1961 in the St. George Utah Temple. The early years of their marriage found them living in Las Vegas, NV, Glendora, CA, and Jackson, WY. Yutona helped establish M.I. Dairy and Bentley Farms in Amalga, UT in 1972. In the early days of the farm she could be found driving a truck loading hay and cutting corn. She also filled the many rolls of: parts retriever, cook, book keeper, delivery driver, and of course chauffer. Yutona also worked at Pepperidge Farm and Smithfield Implement to help keep the farm afloat during those early years. The job she probably loved the most was working at the Drivers License division, where she retired after twenty years of service. She served as the first woman on the town council in Amalga, and was also involved with the Cache County Democrats for several years. A highlight of those years included meeting Robert Redford while she was attending a state Democrat convention. She served on the national policy board for Farmers Union. She was a city girl that grew to love the farm and farm life with great passion. One of Yutona's loves was exploring any type of thrift store; we feel she never met a thrift store she didn't like. In fact, her kids are thinking that Deseret Industries and Somebody's Attic just lost one of their best customers. Estate auctions in Iowa were also a favorite event of hers. She would go to any lengths for a bargain.
The annual event she looked forward to the most was the Mountain Man Rendezvous at Fort Bridger Wyoming every Labor Day weekend. This year's attendance was really special due to all four of her children and most of her grandchildren being present to celebrate Reed and Yutona's 50th wedding anniversary. She never obtained an "official" mountain man name, but her camp started calling her "Many Things" because of the amount of items that she always brought. If you needed it she usually had it somewhere in camp. She leaves behind her husband Reed , children Matt Delsa Bentley of Newton, UT, Ted Bentley of Colfax, IA, Tana Rob Hogan Kennewick, WA, and Tyler Leanna Bentley of Centerfield, UT and one brother Philip Judy Las Vegas, NV. She also leaves seventeen grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, three siblings, various aunts and uncles and other relatives. We hope "Many Things" was warmly greeted at the council fire of her tribe. She will be greatly missed by her husband and family. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 11 AM in the Amalga LDS Ward Chapel, 6521 North 2400 West. A viewing will be on Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Nelson Funeral Home, 85 South Main, Smithfield and at the Church on Saturday prior to services from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Cornish Cemetery. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com