Obit: Mary M. Bentley, Restaurateur

Mary Mitchell Bentley, 87, former owner of The Greenhouse Restaurant and avid sportswoman, died at her home in Radnor on Thursday, March, 29^.

 Ms. Bentley founded The Greenhouse in 1975 at age 50, preserving the actual glass greenhouse as part of the restaurant. She loved telling people that “George Washington’s horse slept there”, in the old stable portion of the building, not far from the Radnor train station.

A favorite of many, The Greenhouse prospered for 18 years winning several Best of Philly Awards and also resulted in Ms Bentley being invited by noted chef Julia Danenbaum to become a charter member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, an international society of women in the culinary arts who mentor younger women entering the field.

Ms Bentley attended The Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr and was a boarder in the Main Residence Hall that still stands today.

As a child, she performed dance recitals at The Academy of Music and even tap danced for the famous Bojangles. 

She also began a lifetime of sailing at age 9, racing Moths during summers in Ocean City, NJ, where she took 4^th in the world Moth class competition. And up until age 85, she was still racing her Bullseye in Dark Harbor, Maine against competitors of all ages and winning.

An avid golfer, Ms Bentley was a member of the Merion Golf Club for 61 years and was a member of their First Ladies Team that won the prestigious Philadelphia cup in 1965 & 1966.

At age 18, she enlisted in the Women’s Reserve of The Marines following the death of her beloved 20 year old brother, Thomas Garvin Mitchell, who was training to be an Air Force fighter pilot during WWII. Her father had been in the cavalry during WWI and because of the strong military tradition in her family, she wanted to “take his place”. 

She completed her service as a Private First Class and was selected to partner with “Big” Bill Tilden, the finest men’s player of his time, in an exhibition doubles tennis match.

Her father’s love of horses led to her fox hunting in her early 20’s where she met her husband, James Bentley to whom she was married for 20 years. She was still Basseting until January of this year.

She is survived by two sons, Thomas G M Bentley and James A Bentley, Jr., daughter Stacey Logan Bentley, grandchildren Christie, Claire, Trillium and Mason, and long term companion Patricia West.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, April 13^th, at Calling is at 10 a.m., Memorial Service begins at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.