Date of Service:
June 28, 2025
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Bede Alphonsus Bender, age 87, passed away peacefully on September 23rd, 2024 at VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach, Florida surrounded by loving family.
Bede was born in Spangler, Pennsylvania. He lived in Alexandria, Virginia for 50 years prior to moving to Vero Beach, Florida in 2016.
He worked with the Office of Personnel Management where he worked for 33 years. He was instrumental in establishing the Senior Executive Services (SES) program in 1978 for the Federal Government. After retiring from OPM, he became an independent contractor for 15 years before retiring in 2014.
Bede was a member of the Alexandria Harmonizers Barbershop Chorus for 35 years, where he met and made lifelong friends. He enjoyed his time and travel with the chorus and with the ‘Tribe’, which consisted of a group of 5 couples, who partied, traveled, and enjoyed life together for many years.
He graduated from Penn State in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree and from St. Francis College in 1965.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years Mary Catherine Bender; children Anita Martin (Greg), Christopher Bender (Kim), and Matthew Bender (Wendy); grandchildren Jessica, Gregory, Trisha, Braxton, McKenzie, Alyk, Nikolai, Moriah, and Arianna; and great grandchildren Isabella, Luca, Oakley, Zeryk, and Malikhai. He is also survived by his sister Suzi McDonald (Joseph) and many beloved nephews and nieces.
He was predeceased by his parents Bede and Naomi Bender; sisters Patricia Bentivegna and Lois Termena; brothers-in-law Bernard (Bud) Termena and Joseph Bentivegna.
A gathering of family and friends will be held on June 28th, 2025, at 11:00 am, with a Celebration of Life beginning at 12:00 pm at Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Huntington Disease Society of America (505 Eighth Avenue Suite 1402, New York, NY 10018).
Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.
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