Name: Service for Paul "Bear" Bentrup
Start: 2025-09-06T09:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-09-06T10:00:00.000Z
Location: Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center

Paul Ernest Bentrup was born December 29th, 1949 in Mora, Minnesota to Edmund and Margaret Bentrup. The third son of six children, they moved often following the call of his father as a Lutheran Pastor. He graduated from Fisher High School in 1967 and graduated from Bemidji State College in 1971 with a degree in Chemistry.

Affectionately known by many as Bear, he lived a life full of adventure. In his college and early adult years he traversed the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. In 1975, he enlisted in the Navy attending Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as an Ensign in the fall of that year. He completed Nuclear Power School, served aboard the SSN Permit, and earned his dolphins. While serving he traveled the country and the world, experiencing new cities and cultures. In 1980, he moved to Kennewick, Washington and began his career in the civilian nuclear industry, working for Washington Public Power Supply System (WPPSS) which later became Energy Northwest (EN), and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) doing interface work between EN and BPA. During his career he obtained his Senior Reactor Operator license and became a licensed Professional Engineer.

His biggest adventure began in 1981 when he married the love of his life, Karen (Sanderson) Bentrup. They had three children together that they raised to love the outdoors through camping and deep sea fishing. They taught them the importance of their education, spending countless hours at the dinner table helping with homework, how to repair anything from a dishwasher to the car, and most importantly how to share the love of Jesus Christ through serving others. In 2017, Bear retired to pursue his hobbies: camping, deep sea fishing, fly tying, lapidary interests, and traveling with Karen.

Throughout their time in Washington they gained many dear friends, who became extended family, and we are eternally grateful for the love, care, and support they showed especially in the last few years. In 2024, Bear and Karen moved to Fargo, North Dakota where they experienced the joy of being grandparents.

Bear was preceded in death by his parents, Edmund and Margaret Bentrup; and brothers, Richard and Tom Bentrup. He is survived by wife, Karen; children, Bryan Bentrup, Leah Bentrup, Traci (Jon) Sletmoe; grandsons, Magnus and Otto; extended family, Lin Bentrup, Mark (June) Bentrup, Mary (Ken) Wagner, John Bentrup, Lou Krohn, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends around the country.

We will miss his ever calm presence, wise council, and servant heart. We want to thank the many people who cared for Bear in his final years; first and foremost their Washington family, Solutions Health Care (Kennewick, WA), Griswold Health Care (Fargo, ND), Nizoni Health Care (Fargo, ND), VA Health Services (Walla Walla, WA and Fargo, ND). Your care was exceptional and we can never fully express our gratitude.

Please in lieu of flowers, make donations in memory of Bear Bentrup:

FRIENDS OF BWCA (BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA).

2550 University Ave W. 180S, St. Paul, MN. 55114 or online at: www.friends-bwca.org/memorial.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Tri-City Herald from Aug. 29 to Aug. 31, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Paul Bentrup

3 Entries

Bobbi Norris

September 3, 2025

The Bentrups were our neighbors for many years. We always enjoyed our visits with Bear over the fence. Our condolences to Karen and the entire family.
The Norris'

Debbie Carlson

September 1, 2025

I suspect like many, I was at first intimidated by him (he was a big guy). Bear was a perfect name for this gentle giant of a man. From him I heard stories of his growing children. Stories when his house was being remodeled. Beer making. The trip to Alaska. His recovery after back surgery. Saw him most days, riding his bike from our office building to the nuclear plant. We both would end up taking classes through the Kennewick school system where he was honing in on the art of tying lures while I attempted to learn to make Christmas wreaths. We met up a couple of times at a local gem/rock show where Bear would be looking for special rocks and picturing in his mind how the rock would look in its final state - polished and a part of some upcoming creation. Whereas I would look for just a rock, but a pretty rock! When Bear retired from BPA each of his office mates were gifted a Bear creation of rocks, wires, and sometimes feathers - perfect trees. Mine tree with its leaves in various shades of polished brown and opaque stores reminded me of my Minnesota upbringing, especially where trees grew out of the rocks along the shoreline of Lake Superior and would seemingly change colors daily as fall progressed. However, there is one memory that will aways stick with me. Bear appeared to love a microwave concoction of scrambled eggs, some type of meat (ham??) and ketchup. Except maybe for fish, there is little that smells so bad or lasts as long in a closed-up room as the smell of nuked ketchup and eggs. I would rush to work so I could get into my office and shut the door before Bear would arrive and start cooking his breakfast. If the office was locked, I thought I won, but that wily guy sometimes "forgot" to unlock the door so when I opened the door, I would meet the smell head on. I would walk down the hall, take a few deep breaths, open back up the office door, walk as fast as I could to my office, close my door and then start breathing into a scented washrag I kept for such an emergency. My door would next open when I knew most of the smell of Bear´s "breakfast" had dispersed. RIP, Bear.

God´s blessing to Bear´s family and thank you Bear for living the kind of life most husbands and fathers should aspire to.

Noel and Claire Commeree

August 30, 2025

A wonderful neighbor who will truly be missed.

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