Obituaries
Attorney and Former Mayor Upshaw Bentley Dies at 89
Upshaw Bentley was both county attorney and later mayor of Athens.
He was the person who counseled many elected officials, in and out of Athens. He worked behind the scenes to improve and enhance the quality of life in his adopted community. And he shouldered civic responsibilities when he could have made more money in the private sector.
Upshaw Bentley loved his family, his community and his profession. He died on Thursday at age 89. His wife Frances died a few years ago.
Born in Greenville, S.C., Bentley came to Athens to attend college, where he earned a business degree in 1947 and a law degree in 1949. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Delta Phi.
From 1958 until 1971, he served as the attorney for Clarke County. And he was mayor of the City of Athens from 1976 to 1979.
Among other acts of generosity, Mr. Bentley is credited with having paid $15,000 to cover the cost of the Christmas party in 2010 for employees of Athens Clarke County.
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