Irl Gordon Bender

“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.”

Irl Gordon Bender, 86, of Cleveland and formerly of Hollywood, FL passed away Sunday, November 1, 2020 at his home. Born June 14, 1934 and raised in Boynton, Florida, he worked in the movie and entertainment industry for 50 plus years and retired with Cooke & Ingle. Irl was a devoted family man and enjoyed fishing, radio-controlled aircraft, gardening, carpenter work and church start-ups.

He was preceded in death by his father, Virgil H. Bender; mother, Elva Bagnell Bender; wife, Wilma Matherley Bender; and daughter, Pamela Bender.

He will be sadly missed by his children, Cheryl Renee Landolt (Frank Pritchett), Sheila Diane Kinney, Melanie G. Copeland (Kenny), Irl Derek Bender (Sabrina) and Eric Gordon Bender (Patty); grandchildren, Meg van der Kruik, Denise Wilson, Brad Carroll, Steven Kinney, Amber Adams, Matthew Landolt, Adam Bender, Chad Bender, Shane Bender, Brandie Copeland and James Copeland; great grandchildren, Maddie McFarland, Vikrant Wilson, Kate Carroll, McKinley Bender, Delilah Adams, Ayaan Wilson, Bayley Bender, Eliza van der Kruik and Kash van der Kruik; sisters, Joan Skirde, and Gloria Petrelli; and brother, Bill Bender.

Funeral services will be held at 6:00 p.m. Monday, November 2, 2020 at Fike-Randolph & Son Funeral Home.  The service will be live-streamed on the Fike-Randolph & Son Funeral Home Facebook page.

Entombment will be held at 1:00 p.m.Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

The family requests that memorial may be made to Benton Church of Christ, P.O. Box 590, Benton, TN 37307 or to the charity of your choice.

We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Bender family guestbook at www.fikefh.com