Obituary of Edward J. Bentz, Jr.

Edward J. Bentz, Jr. Home: Springfield, Virginia and Ocean City, Maryland Place of Birth: New York City Date of Birth: May 17, 1945 Date of Death: July 15, 2012 Edward Joseph Bentz, Jr. died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 15 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Ed was born and raised in New York City. He was a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science and of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (B.S., physics). He attended Rockefeller University as a post-graduate and received M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in nuclear physics from Yale University (Ph.D., 1971). He was a post-doctoral Danmark-Amerika Research Fellow, Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen, 1971 - 1972, and was a Post-doctoral Visiting Fellow, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia, Spring of 1973. While in Denmark, Ed developed a love of traveling the world. While he was employed by the RCA David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton, NJ 1972 - 1974, he shared this passion by organizing group travel opportunities. He maintained a life-long interest in swimming, learned scuba diving, and enjoyed trips to beaches of the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Tahiti. Later in life, he captained his own Boston Whaler motor boat in intracoastal waters of Delaware and Maryland. He became an avid travel photographer, to the delight of his family and friends. He studied Chinese in preparation for his trip to China in 2007. He and his wife also recently traveled to France, Norway, Patagonia, East Africa, Egypt, and India. Ed was a natural leader who enjoyed sharing his expertise and experience by teaching and by public speaking. Throughout his career, he sought scientific and economic solutions to support a clean environment. He was an early supporter of numerous efforts in that regard. He served as the first Environmental Director of the Yale Law School's Yale Legislative Services (1969 - 1971); as Consultant to the NYC Council on the Environment (1968 - 1970); and as co-author of the Environmental Task Force Report of the 1970 White House Conference on Youth. Dr. Bentz also provided consultant services to the Danish Committee for the 1972 UN Stockholm Conference on the Environment. Early in his career he also served, for example, as a Senior Policy Analyst for the US Environmental Protection Agency (1974 - 1977), and as Executive Director of the National Alcohol Fuels Commission (1979 - 1980). He continued his efforts for thirty years as President and chief scientist of E.J. Bentz & Associates. Ed was a supporter of his alma maters and of numerous animal rescue efforts. He served his community for many years as an appointed member of the Fairfax County (Virginia) Wetlands Board. As a firearms expert, he taught courses in personal firearms safety. He was also a great teaser. Dr. Bentz is survived by his mother, Jo; by Carole, his wife of thirty-seven years and her family; by his sister, Ann; and nephews, nieces, and cousins. Edward's Life Celebration includes visitation on Monday, July 23rd from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm at Martin Funeral Home, 1761 Route 31, Clinton, NJ. The Interment with graveside prayers will immediately follow at the Musconetcong Valley Cemetery in Hampton, NJ. Donations can be made to the "Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Research Fund (Dr. Boin) in memory of Edward Bentz," Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Mason F. Lord Building, Center Tower, Suite 4100, Baltimore, MD 21224