SCHOOL, CIVIC LEADER BENTLEY DIES AT 79.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

GLENDALE - Funeral arrangements were pending Monday for Glendale school board member Jeanne Bentley, a veteran high school counselor who died Saturday at age 79.

Bentley died at Verdugo Hills Hospital, where she was taken after she became ill during a family outing, officials said.

``She was the most inspiring person I have ever met in my life,'' said Glendale Unified School District Superintendent Jim Brown. ``Her warmth and compassion always came through.

``In many ways, she was a role model in terms of how I would like to live my life. She really lived life for the service of others. This is a loss that will affect Glendale for a long time.''

Bentley, a lifelong resident of the Glendale area, graduated from Hoover High School and earned degrees in education and counseling from the University of California, Los Angeles.

She taught at Fremont Elementary and Clark Junior High schools before making the transition to counseling. In 1973, she pioneered the Career Resource Center at Crescenta Valley High School, which became a model for high school programs throughout California. She also co-authored a book on the subject of guiding students into career options.

Bentley retired from Crescenta Valley High in 1992.

She was elected to the school board in 1993 and served as its president from 1995 to 1997. She was re-elected to the board in 1997 and 2001.

With her seat now vacant, the district board has 60 days to appoint or take nominations for a successor who would serve until the April 2003 election.

Bentley, often described as a true lady with a sense of humor, enjoyed her life. She was active in volunteer work throughout the Glendale area.

She was instrumental in the formation of the Glendale Youth Coalition, served on the board of Glendale Healthy Kids and volunteered with the Assistance League, the National Charity League, the Oakmont League and the American Association of University Women.

She earned many awards, including 1997 Woman of the Year honors from the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce and, most recently, the Los Angeles County Bilingual Director's Service Award and the Glendale YWCA's Woman of Heart & Excellence Award.

Bentley is survived by her two daughters, Robyn J. Brown and Brooke S. Moore; and five grandchildren. Her husband, Gerry Bentley, died in 1997.