John Cecil Bender

1940 - 2025

John Cecil Bender

December 15, 1940 - April 5, 2025

Boise, Idaho - John Cecil Bender passed away on Saturday, April 5, 2025 in Boise, Idaho.

John was born on December 15, 1940 in Dayton, Washington. He graduated from Grandview High School in 1959, and was among the first from the town to attend the United States Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Maryland.

On June 6, 1963, the day after he graduated from the USNA, John married his junior high school sweetheart and lifelong love, Barbara Stump, in a ceremony at the Naval Academy Chapel.

He flew search and rescue in Vietnam and, in 1967, earned a Silver Star for his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action." Following John's tours of service, and after he had earned an MS from George Washington University, both John and Barb returned to the Pacific Northwest.

John enjoyed a 36-year career with Boise Cascade Corporation, retiring in 2005 as Senior Vice President in charge of the Wood & Timber Division. Throughout his time in the Navy and his career at Boise, John was known for being calm, fair, intelligent, kind, and quick to laugh.

He was a devoted husband to Barb and a phenomenal father to their three children. John had many passions in his life-camping, fishing, basketball, golf, travel, dining, reading, logic problems, chess, gardening, building decks and bookshelves-all of which he shared enthusiastically with his family. Every evening, he and Barb would sit down with a glass of wine to discuss the day-when the children were young this was "Mom and Dad's time," but as the children grew older, moved away, and returned home, this became a cherished family tradition and time to connect.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, his son, Jason Bender, his daughter, Jennifer Trople, his daughter, Jill Bender, his son-in-law, Adam Winkel, his grandson, Colin Bender, his brother, Carl Bender, his sister, Anna Louise Murch, his stepbrother, Don Scribner, and numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

John is and always will be dearly missed by many.

Memorial services will be held at a later date.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on John's memorial webpage at www.bowmanfuneral.com.

The family also encourages any donations to be made toward Idaho Shakespeare Festival, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, or the Boise VA Medical Center.

"Out through the fields and the woods

And over the walls I have wended;

I have climbed the hills of view

And looked at the world, and descended;

I have come by the highway home,

And lo, it is ended."

~Robert Frost