Lawrence "Bud" Bender

Lawrence W. "Bud" Bender, 92, a resident of Dothan passed away Saturday, April 4, 2015 at his residence in The Terrace at Grove Park.

A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 9, 2015 at First United Methodist Church in Dothan with Dr. Jim Sanders officiating. The family will receive friends from 10-11:00 a.m. prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Covenant Hospice, 104 Rock Bridge Road, Dothan, AL, 36303 or to First United Methodist Church, 1380 W. Main Street, Dothan, AL, 36303.

Mr. Bender was born March 23, 1923 in Lorain, OH and spent the early part of his life in Greenwich, OH. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1942 as a Naval Aviation Cadet. He graduated from flight school and transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was a Veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War serving in the Marine Corps and then transferring to the U.S. Army in 1957. Mr. Bender has resided in Dothan since 1957 and was an avid fisherman, hunter and baseball player. Later in life he took up golf and eventually enjoyed playing 3 times a week into his 80's. He was an active member of First United Methodist Church and was a longtime supporter of SEACT, serving on the board and acting in several performances. He also was a volunteer with the Red Cross working as a donor and as a driver to transport blood throughout the local region. He was a member of several of the local retired military associations. Mr. Bender was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, Betty Bender, his great-grandson, Jackson Jinright and his sister, Bonnie Foster.

Survivors include his children, Barbara Lou Jinright, Vicki Dwight Deal, Judy Rudy Johnson, and Robyn Ken Johnson; grandchildren, Justin Beth Jinright, Travis Angie Jinright, Nichole Bill Morton, Dwight Gwen Deal, II, Michelle Murry Sandlin, Tara Tony Pazzaglia, Mathew Kellan Bryan, Zachary Bryan, and Joshua Bryan; 13 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandson.