Obituary of Eden R. Bentley

Eden Reyes Bentley, age 84, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2026, leaving behind a life defined by devotion to family, quiet strength, and a deep appreciation for learning and the arts.

She was born on May 7, 1941, in Negros Occidental, Philippines, to Martin and Consejo (Lastimoza) Reyes. Due to her father’s career as a forester, Eden spent her childhood moving throughout the country before her family eventually settled in Quezon City.

Eden graduated from the University of the Philippines and began her career with the San Miguel Corporation. She later joined a special program that brought her to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she worked as a laboratory assistant at the Research Institute of Medicine and Chemistry (RIMC). It was there that she met her future husband, Jim. The two were married in Boston on May 2, 1970.

Following their marriage, the young couple moved to Rochester, New York, where Jim pursued his postdoctoral studies in chemistry. During this time, they welcomed their daughter, Jazmine, and in 1973, the family settled in East Windsor, New Jersey, where they built a warm and loving home.

Eden worked for a time at Hahne’s and Bamberger’s department stores before finding her true professional home as the art librarian at the Johnson Atelier School of Sculpture in Princeton, New Jersey. She remained there for nearly two decades, where her love of art and learning made a lasting impact on apprentices and colleagues alike.

In retirement, Eden found joy in life’s simple pleasures—tending to her garden, reading and, most of all, caring for her three beloved grandchildren, Nora, Owen, and Alice.

Eden is survived by her devoted husband, Jim; her daughter, Jazmine Faherty (Douglas); her brothers, Alejandro (Maria Luisa), Jorge (Cecilia), Carlos (Lenida), and Felipe (Juliana); her sister, Janet; her sisters-in-law Joy (Robert) and Marlyne; her brother-in-law, Frank (Susan); and many cherished nieces, nephews, and extended family. She was predeceased by her brothers, Renin and Igmidio; her sisters-in-law, Juanita and Azucena; and her niece, Fatima.

She will be remembered for her kindness, resilience, and the steady love she gave to her family and all who knew her.

Visitation for friends and family will be from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Simplicity Funeral and Cremation Services at Glackin Chapel, 136 Morrison Avenue, Hightstown. A prayer service will be offered, beginning at 4:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Eden’s memory to Penn Medicine Hospice at www.PennMedicine.org/hospice-donate.