At 106-years-old Esther Bentley was one of Bermuda's oldest residents when she passed away on March 11.

Esther Allen Bentley was born on March 8 1904 to Helenea and John Allen of Hamilton Bermuda. As the oldest of ten children she was preceded by all four of her brothers and four out of her five sisters.

Her only surviving sibling, 104-year-old Gwen Marie Allen currently resides at the Jewish Home Life Care in New york.

At age 17 Esther left Bermuda for New York and In 1942, after attending the prestigious Julliard School of Music, Esther married Earl Bentley in Harlem, New York where her daughter Earlene Bentley was born. Earlene has lived in London for most of her life, making a name for herself as a professional singer.

Esther and her family later moved to Jamaica, Long Island, New York where she was a Music Teacher, Choir Director and Church Organist. While living in Long Island, Esther devoted much of her time to organising concerts and social events to raise money in aid of organisations that sponsored young musicians in her community. She was also a music teacher and delighted in bringing to Bermuda choral groups, vocalists and musicians she had trained. They were presented locally in concerts raising money for charity.

Years later when she returned to Bermuda in the early 90's she would organise musical teas and other events for the residents of Westmeath Rest Home.

In 2006 Ms Bentley was featured in Gosling's bicentennial advertising campaign. She was the star of several advertisments celebrating Bermudians who had reached the age of 100.

Though wheelchair-bound in her later years, because she fell and broke her hip, Mrs. Bentley had all of her faculties; she still exercised and still played the piano – a talent that she has had since she was five.

Esther was a resident of Packwood Nursing home in Sandys and had lived there for eight years before her death last week. A funeral service and burial was held Tuesday morning.