Maureen "Kay" Bendele

***** To watch a recording of the service, please use the link: https://youtu.be/WDkS_bWom3o 

Maureen “Kay” Bendele

July 3, 1942    June 1, 2021

Kay was the eldest child born in Grand Forks to Leonard and Jeanne (Bridgeford) Dempsey. 

Kay moved to California after graduating from Sacred Heart High School. She met and married Michael Bendele there. Together they had a son, Michael Joseph,  and shortly after moved to Hondo, Texas. After Michael passed, Kay and her son moved back to Grand Forks, ND. 

Kay attended and graduated from Northwest Technical College and went to work for what is now Altru Hospital as a switchboard operator. She worked her way up and retired as the executive assistant to the CEO. Kay enjoyed entertaining and cooking good food for friends and family. She hosted many get-togethers at her house, full of laughter and fun.

Kay is survived by her sister Rayanne (Kip) Sillers of Cass Lake, MN; brothers Michael(Jean) Dempsey, East Grand Forks, MN and Joseph (Julie) Dempsey of Grand Forks, ND; and, in her words, “her other son” John Richards of Minneapolis, MN. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her son Michael Joseph (Mikey).

A remembrance for Kay will be held at Amundson Funeral Home,  2975 S. 42^nd St., Grand Forks, at 3 pm on Tuesday, June 8, with visitation an hour before the service.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Altru Cancer Foundation.