Kate Elizabeth Bentrup

It is with great sadness that the family of Kate Elizabeth Bentrup, of Port Orchard, Washington, announce her passing on April 17, 2023. Kate was born to Bob and Mary Hodges in Edmonds, WA in 1975. After an active childhood outdoors in Washington State, Kate moved with her family to Wallingford, PA in 1986 and then to Dover, DE in 1990 where she graduated high school from Caesar Rodney Senior High School in 1993.

Kate enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 1994. She became Active Duty in the Army in 1996 and was honorably discharged in 2000. After that, Kate lived in Arizona, then returned to Washington State where she met and married the love of her life, Jeremy Bentrup, in 2004.

Kate, Jeremy, and their daughters Abby and Zoey were active and engaged members of the Port Orchard community where they lived. Kate was beloved as a spirited, selfless and supportive partner to Jeremy throughout his service in the U.S. Navy, from which he retired in 2018 as a Senior Chief Torpedoman. This is when the Bentrup Family adventures began full-time—with everyone together, on dry land.

In addition to her family, Kate’s passions were cooking, entertaining family and friends, knitting, crocheting, crafting, and offering a helping hand to community members in need. As her daughter, Abby, eloquently says, “My mom loved to make people feel welcome. She loved to help people. She made you feel that she was someone you could turn to if you needed help.”

Some of Kate’s greatest joys in recent years included her dogs, hosting parties where the vibe was always “the more the merrier,” and expertly teaching neighborhood children of all ages and ability levels how to swim in the Bentrup’s backyard pool.

Kate will be missed by many and remains loved thoroughly. She is survived by her husband Jeremy and their two daughters, Abby and Zoey; her parents, Robert and Mary Hodges; and her siblings and their families: Billy Hodges (Denise Disney, Grace Hodges, Rose Hodges, Nathaniel Hodges, Lilly Hodges), Michael Hodges (Rita Axelroth Hodges, Sylvan Hodges, Oscar Hodges) and Bonny Hodges (Andy ‘Colly’ Loughrey, Hank Loughrey, Moira Loughrey, and Oliver Loughrey).

A funeral service will be held on April 29, 2023 at Rill’s Life Tribute Center on Mitchell Ave. at 1 o’clock p.m. in Port Orchard, Washington.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence or Stop Soldier Suicide