Anna Weiss Bentley

Anna Bentley, age 96, passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, in Madison.       Anna was born in Bratislava, Slovakia, on February 16, 1913, the eighth of ten children of Sofie Richter Weiss and Morris Weiss.   She married Oscar Buchinger in 1936 and together they opened a store in Bratislava, selling bicycles and sewing machines; they were to work side-by-side until Oscar's untimely death in 1974. In 1939, the close and warm family network that was so important to Anna (and was to be sustained over the years in spite of tragedy and dispersal) was disrupted by the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia and the advent of World War II.   Anna and Oscar escaped to England, and some of Anna's siblings escaped to Palestine and elsewhere, but their parents and many other relatives perished in the Holocaust, a tragedy that remained very painful for Anna and Oscar for the rest of their lives.   In London, they opened their second store together, this time selling custom-made corsets--a trade that Anna had learned in Vienna before her marriage. In 1943 their only child, Ruth, was born, and in 1950 they changed their name from Buchinger to Bentley, in order to further distance themselves from the pain of the past.       In 1951, Anna, Oscar, and Ruth emigrated to San Francisco, where Oscar had a cousin, and Anna looked forward to being able to swim in the Pacific Ocean. They settled in Berkeley, California, where they operated a very successful lingerie and dancewear store for over 30 years. Anna greeted her customers with enthusiasm and competence, and they responded by establishing her as Berkeley's most-revered expert on women's intimate apparel.   Selling was Anna's passion, and her engagement with all who entered the store was the basis for its success. Her youngest sister, Renee, moved to Berkeley in 1978, joined Anna in the store, and was a great help in Anna's later years.       After retiring in 1984, Anna was able to further develop another passion, world travel.   In addition to regular visits to family in Europe, Israel, and Argentina, she traveled to Russia, Sri Lanka, and China, to name just a few.   In 2000, Anna moved to Oakwood Village West in Madison, where she continued to share her warmth and enthusiasm with daughter Ruth and her husband Dan; with granddaughters Rebecca, Deborah, and Sarah; with the Jewish community of Madison, including Beth Israel Center, Temple Beth El, and Jewish Social Services; and with the staff at Oakwood Village West and at HospiceCare. All these caring people enriched Anna's life in her final years, with Anna reciprocating in her commitment to and support of these institutions.       Anna is survived by sister Renee Levine; daughter Ruth Siegel and son-in- law Daniel   Siegel; and granddaughters Rebecca, Deborah (husband David Snyder), and Sarah Siegel.   Anna was preceded in death by her husband, Oscar; six sisters; and two brothers.       Funeral services will be held at 1:30 pm on Sunday, August 2, 2009 at Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, with burial following at Forest Hill Cemetery.          Memorials may be made to Jewish Social Services of Madison, 6434 Enterprise Lane, Madison, WI 53719.