Mary Carmen Bentzen

Mary Carmen Bentzen

 April 2, 1941 – January 7, 2025

VIGIL SERVICE: Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 7:00PM at St. James Catholic Church, 4710 N. 90th St., Omaha with VISITATION from 5:00-7:00PM.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Thursday, January 16, 2025, 10:00AM, St. James Catholic Church.

INTERMENT: Thursday, January 16, 1:30PM, Omaha National Cemetery, 14250 Schram Road, Omaha.

To view live Broadcasts of the Services, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click on the “Live Cast” button at the top of the home page.

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Mary Carmen Bentzen was born April 2, 1941, in Lynch, Nebraska, to William and Elizabeth Meusch (nee Baumeister). Carmen, as she was known to her friends and family, was the youngest of three children and grew up on the family’s sandhills cattle ranch near the banks of the Niobrara river. As a child, Carmen attended a one room schoolhouse which she traveled to each day on horseback. After primary school, she left the ranch to board at St. Mary’s Catholic School in O’Neill, Nebraska. Carmen graduated from St. Mary’s in the Spring of 1959, and that Fall moved to Lincoln to attend St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Through her roomate (and later sister-in-law, Judy) she met her future husband Melvin Bentzen. Carmen graduated from St. Elizabeth’s in 1961, and moved to Omaha to work in the labor and delivery department of the old Immanuel Hospital. Though very different from the sandhills, Carmen loved the hustle and bustle of life in Omaha.

Mel and Carmen married on July, 20, 1963, and moved into their new home in West Omaha. Soon after, Mel was deployed in the Vietnam Conflict, which put their plans for a family on hold. With Mel overseas Carmen kept the homefires burning, working long shifts at the hospital and taking care of their dog Queeny. Despite the long hours, Carmen loved working in the nursery and was close with her colleagues, many of whom became her lifelong friends. After Mel returned, the couple continued in their professional careers while also providing foster care for infants in need. After several years they welcomed their own children Marc, Michael and Cheryl into the world. With a young family of five, Carmen took a break from nursing in favor of providing as a full time homemaker. Navigating cloth diapers, sports practices and the flow of neighborhood kids in and out of her house, Carmen guided her young family through those hectic years with kindness, grace and unwavering encouragement. She was a devoted and patient wife and loved her children so fiercely they knew it in their bones. She welcomed everyone who walked through her door with an open heart, a kind word and a hot plate.

Once her children were older Carmen returned to nursing, working in various capacities in the field of geriatrics. She was both a skilled practitioner and a talented administrator. Throughout her career Carmen provided thousands of patients and their families with exquisite care in a multitude of environments while helping dozens of young professionals find their way in nursing. After retirement, Carmen enjoyed traveling, sometimes with Mel, sometimes on her own, and often to visit her children. She loved museums, restaurants, theater, music and national parks. She was smart, funny and curious about other people.  She relished watching her children and grandchildren mature into adults and start families of their own. She loved each of them deeply and unconditionally. She was the center of her family. They are devastated by her loss and comforted by lessons she taught them.

Carmen was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Evelyn Obermier and brother Donald Meusch. She is survived by her husband Melvin, sons Marc Bentzen (Lauren Pomeroy) and Michael Bentzen (Kim Colum), daughter Cheryl Ditter, grandchildren Timothy Bentzen (Paige), Andrew Bentzen (Kayla), Samantha Ditter, Stephanie Ditter, Jaqueline Bentzen, James Bentzen and Elizabeth Bentzen, great grandchildren Bella Bentzen, Nora Bentzen and Atlas Bentzen and many nieces and nephews.

Carmen’s family would like to thank the professionals at Elkhorn Life Center and her niece Lisa Schmitz for their extraordinary assistance in her transition. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Mary Carmen Bentzen’s honor to St. Mary’s Catholic School, (https://www.stmarysoneill.org/support) or the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard, (https://www.nebraskanursehonorguard.org/donate).

Carmen was a longtime parishioner at St. James Catholic Church in Omaha. Her Vigil will be held at St. James at 5pm, January 15th. Her Funeral Mass will be held at St. James at 10am, January 16th, with luncheon and fellowship to follow. Carmen will be interred at the National Cemetery in Omaha that same day, January 16th, at 1pm. All are welcome to attend any or all ceremonies.

May perpetual light shine upon her.