ILION-Charles Raymond Bender age 86 of East North Street passed away peacefully on Saturday evening August 4, 2007 in Valley Health Services Inc., Herkimer. He was born on June 25, 1921 in Utica, son of the late Raymond W. and Janet Jones Bender. A lifelong area resident he was raised in the Corn Hill section of Utica and was a graduate of Utica Free Academy. A veteran of World War II he served with the US Army and was honorably discharged on January 31, 1946, attaining the rank of Sergeant. After the war Mr. Bender had worked for twenty years with Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co. Utica, he then went to work at Griffith Air Force Base, UNIVAC and later with Mohawk Data Sciences in East Herkimer, retiring in 1987. On June 30, 1951 he was united in marriage with the former Alice Irene Wasileski in the Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, Little Falls. They made their home in German Flatts until 1954 when they moved to Ilion where they have resided since. Mr. Bender had a strong belief in God and was a member of the Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church. He was a member of the American Legion Post # 0001 in Albany. In his leisure time he enjoyed sports. His younger years were spent participating in Roller Skating, Ice Skating, Skiing and Tobogganing. He at one time drove stock car at the Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon. In his later years he found great enjoyment watching most any sporting event as well as western movies and traveling. To his many friends, Charles was well thought of. He will always be remembered for being honest and decent. His warm smile and caring way will remain in their hearts forever. He will be greatly missed. Surviving are his loving wife of fifty-six years Alice and a nephew Raymond W. Bender Jr. and his wife Melissa of Tucson, AZ. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a brother Raymond Wesley Bender in 1991. Funeral service will commence from Fenner Funeral Home Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer on Wednesday at 10:00 am. A Funeral Mass will be offered at 11:00 am in The Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, Little Falls with The Reverend Raphael Dadello, Pastor officiating. Interment will follow in Holy Spirit Polish National Cemetery. The family will be present in the funeral home to receive relatives and friends on Tuesday afternoon from 2:00 until 5:00 pm. A Prayer Service will be held in the funeral home at 4:00 pm. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the National Kidney Foundation. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.