Obituary & Life History
ROLAND CHARLESBENT, 94 Bicycle Shop Owner
LAKELAND - Roland Bent, 94, died peacefully at
his home on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, with mem-
bers of his...
ROLAND CHARLESBENT, 94 Bicycle Shop Owner
LAKELAND - Roland Bent, 94, died peacefully at
his home on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, with mem-
bers of his family at his side. His death came from
the complications of advancing age. He is survived by
his wife, Adeline Behnke Bent, with whom he shared
72½ years of holy matrimony. Born in Green Bay,
Wisconsin on December 27, 1915 he married Adeline
on November 24, 1937. At a time when steady work
was rare and luxuries few, they started to build a life
together.
At the age of sixteen Roland started his first bicycle
shop that eventually became the family business op-
erated by his parents, Norman & Edna Bent in Green
Bay, WI. Roland’s father had learned the bicycle
trade from Roland’s granduncle and Roland learned
the trade from his father. That tradition started a
family history in the bicycle business going back to
the early 20th century. While contributing to the war
effort building submarines, Roland and Adeline con-
tinued the family bicycle tradition when he opened a
bicycle & motorcycle shop in 1943 in Manitowoc, WI.
That business grew as did his family with the arrival
of a daughter and three sons. Over the years all four
children would become active in the family business.
By the late 1950s, relief from the cold winters of
Wisconsin sent Roland & Adeline on a search for a
warmer climate where they could relocate the family
business. That search led them to Lakeland where
they opened Bent’s Bicycle Shop in 1961 on South
Florida Avenue in "Dixieland." Over the intervening
years Roland’s business thrived with many second
and third generation customers purchasing bikes as
their parents had done for them. The family's bicycle
tradition continues with son Steven now the proud
owner of the business. An enduring legacy enjoyed by
many Lakeland residents and visitors is the bicycle/
pedestrian path around Lake Hollingsworth. In the
1970's Roland was instrumental in the effort to provide
a safe and scenic location for all biccyclists to enjoy
the sport of cycling. Roland, with the support of city
and state officials, worked to create a unique and outstanding
recreational venue that countless bicyclists and pedestrians
have come to enjoy. Roland is survived by his wife Adeline Behnke
Bent;his daughter Sandra Oestreich and her husband
Walter of Lakeland; his son Charles Bent and his wife
Davette of Rockville, VA; sone Steven Bent and his
wife Vicki of Lakeland/ his son Jeffrey Bent of Petersburg,
VA plus seven grandsons, one granddaughter, five great-
grandsons, three great-granddaughters and many
nephews and nieces.
The family will recieve friends in a celebration of Roland's life
from 4PM-7PM on Sunday, March 7, 2010 at Lakeland
Memorial Gardens, 2125 S. Bartow Rd, Lakeland FL.
Church services will be held at ST.Paul Lutheran Church,
4450 Harden Blvd. Lakeland FL at 11 AM on Monday
March 8, 2010. Burial will follow at Lakeland Memorial
Gardens followed by fellowship at St. Paul Lutheran Church.
Condolences can be sent to 1058 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland,
FL 3380.
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