WCF SECTION PRESS RELEASE #26-18
ERIC OWEN KD4MZM AND TOM BENTLEY W1HFR ARE SILENT KEYS.
Eric T Owen KD4MZM, became a Silent Key on March 8, 2026. Owen was 62 years old at the time of his passing. Owen, a resident of the Sarasota area, had served as an ARRL Technical Specialist for a number of years, and was active on HF and HF digital modes. For the full obituary please go to https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/fl/sarasota/eric-owen-21218928.
Thomas Bentley W1HFR became a Silent Key on March 15, 2026. Bentley was 64 years old at the time of his passing. Bentley is survived by his wife, Catherine Bentley WA1HFR, and other family members. Bentley had a long and dedicated career of 24 years working in Fire Departments in Bristol, CT and Hebron, NH., finally retiring in 2019. Bentley achieved the rank of Lieutenant, and served as an EMT, Firefighter II, and was an instructor at the New Hampshire Fire Academy.
Bentley, a resident of Ridge Manor, enjoyed creating items for amateur radio with his 3D printer, producing custom t-shirts, cups, and hats. Bentley was active on several HF nets including the Florida Phone Traffic Net and the South Florida ARES Net. Bentley was a member of the Spring Hill Amateur Radio Club, the Hernando County Amateur Radio Association, and was active in the East Pasco Amateur Radio Society.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date, with details to be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to the Hernando Firefighters Benevolent Relief Fund at https://hffbrf.firstresponderprocessing.com
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