Due to the pending winter weather event, services for John Bender on January 25 have been rescheduled to February 8. Please see below for details. John Kenneth Bender, 99, of Ithaca, New York, passed away on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Born October 4, 1926, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Cleburne Smith Bender and Martha (Eising) Bender, John earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Layton School of Art. In 1944, he joined the United States Army Air Forces, serving as a pilot and later as a mechanic. John had a thirst for art throughout his life that was often complemented by his deep faith in numbers.
Following his military service, John worked as a glass bottle designer for Anchor Hocking and at Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Company, where he spent 15 years in product design and as a plant project supervisor. He later joined Cornell University, serving as a project coordinator and as Facilities Inventory Coordinator within Facilities Services. During his 23 years of service, he received Cornell's Dedicated Service Award in 1982. What you wouldn't find in his work record was John's persistence for independence, self-sufficiency, and resiliency; all characteristics that he was proud of are now carried on by his children.
John was a founding member of the Ithaca Farmers Market and an early board member of the Greenstar Cooperative. Together with his wife, Beverly, he founded a cottage business known as The Crackerman of Etna, producing gourmet crackers for local restaurants and businesses. The couple also operated a popular Saturday booth at the Ithaca Farmers Market, offering crackers, muffins, and custom-brewed beverages.
A devoted bird watcher, John spent countless hours with his family at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, deepening his appreciation for avian life. Birds frequently appeared in his creative work, which included bas-relief sculpture, drawings, and photography. His bas-relief legacy endures through a commemorative plaque at the Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island, Maine, and through trophies created for the Etna Fall Creek Whitewater Derby.
In spite of all his accomplishments, John never quenched his thirst for learning. In retirement, he and Beverly traveled the world, learning about new cultures, foods, and arts. Perhaps his favorite part of any new adventure was sharing what he had learned with all who listened. If there was anything that could match his curiosity, it would have been his courage. At 93, he even took a 20-day drawing certification class in Bristol, England, at the Western Royal Academy of Art.
John is survived by his immediate family - children, Jane Van Derzee and Joel Bender, both of Ithaca; his son-in-law, Thomas Van Derzee, and daughter-in-law, Jane-Margaret (Pittman) Bender; his grandchildren, Nicholas, Lauren, Jakendra, and Jessandra; and his great-grandchildren, Elieene, Emma, and Zoey, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his first wife, Beatrice (Stueber) Bender, his second wife, Beverly (Cook) Bender, and by his parents and sisters, Winifred Bingham of Modesto, California, and Kathleen Howe of Lake Havasu, Arizona.
ARRANGEMENTS: A calling hour will be held on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at noon, followed by a brief service at 1:00 p.m. at Lansing Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Friends of the Ithaca Farmers Market or the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.