Palm Coast resident and retired US Navy chief petty officer celebrates 100th birthday

Dorothy Bentien celebrated her 100th birthday with a party thrown for her by Chiumento Dwyer Hertel Grant and Kistemaker, P.L. at Brookdale in Palm Coast on June 19.

By Paige Wilson
| 3:58 p.m. June 19, 2018

Retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Dorothy Bentien smiles as retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Nemo Farmer, of VFW Post 8696, presents her with a medal. Photo by Paige Wilson

Dorothy Bentien blows out the candles on her cake to celebrate her 100th birthday. Photo by Paige Wilson

Johnny Vidota, Tom Piekarski and Nemo Farmer, from VFW Post 8696, pose with 100-year-old Palm Coast resident Dorothy Bentien after presenting her with gifts. Photo by Paige Wilson

Dorothy Bentien and Johnny Vidota, of the VFW Post 8696, salute each other. Photo by Paige Wilson

Chiumento Dwyer Hertel Grant and Kistemaker, P.L. representatives Brittany DuPont, Michele Hurd and Vickie Taylor pose with longtime client Dorothy Bentien. The firm organized and executed the birthday party. Courtesy photo

Palm Coast Observer
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Like the three wise men gifted baby Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh, three honor guard members from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8696 presented Palm Coast resident Dorothy Bentien with three gifts of her own on her 100th birthday on June 19.

At the birthday party, which was organized by Chiumento Dwyer Hertel Grant and Kistemaker, P.L. (as Bentien is a longtime client of Mike Chiumento), Palm Coast’s VFW honor guard members Johnny Vidota, Tom Piekarski and Nemo Farmer honored their fellow veteran by gifting her a letter of commendation from the National VFW chapter in Washington, D.C. and two medals that were framed with black velvet — one for being in the U.S. Navy and the other of a VFW dog tag. Each took a moment to individually salute Bentien after presenting her with the gifts.

Bentien retired from the U.S. Navy as a chief petty officer after serving during the Korean War. She has lived in Palm Coast since 1981. After Hurricane Irma, she has resided in the Brookdale assisted-living facility in Palm Coast.

A room full of Brookdale residents and friends of Bentien’s gathered with cake and decorations on Tuesday to celebrate Bentien being “21 with 79 years of experience,” as a customized necklace she wore read.

Taking care of a beloved client

Chiumento Dwyer Hertel Grant and Kistemaker, P.L. representatives Michele Hurd and Brittany DuPont have been periodically checking up on Dorothy Bentien, as she never had children and has no family close by, to make sure she's doing well at Brookdale, which they arranged for her move to since Hurricane Irma for her safety.

Mike Chimento and Hurd brainstormed the idea of throwing a big 100th birthday celebration and got Vickie Taylor involved, as she assumed the marketing role for the firm.

"I contacted the national VFW chapter to request something to present to her so they sent the100th birthday commendation letter and commemorative medals, which I framed for her," Taylor said in an email. "Brittany coordinated our efforts with Brookdale to make sure we had all the other supplies needed and that all the other residents who were able to take part in our celebration would be there."