Rylie Bender

Rylie Bender, 28, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at home from complications due to Type 1 Diabetes.

Memorial visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 pm, on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home. Please wear casual attire, come as you are. Cremation has taken place. Memorials may be made to Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control. 

Rylie was born on November 17, 1997 in Cedar Rapids, daughter of Jeff Bender and Cheryl Healy.

Rylie graduated from Central High School in 2016 and attended the University of Iowa Tippie School of Business. She was employed by ES & D Services in Robins, Iowa, as an Accounting Office Administrator. Rylie had a tender heart and was very kind, independent and loyal. Rylie was also intelligent and inquisitive beyond her years, and never stopped questioning the world around her. One could say she had an old soul. She enjoyed electronics, music and was a collector of vinyl albums. She loved to try new foods and found comfort in her chai tea. Above all, Rylie loved her animals. They were with her up until the very end. Rylie was a bright light and a gift to this world. She will be deeply missed.

Those left to honor her memory included her parents, Jeff Bender and Cheryl (Paul) DeBruyn; brother Jacob Bender; grandparents Patrick (Becky) Healy and Donna Healy; aunts and uncles Michaela Healy, Kyle (Jillissa) Healy, Ben (Carmen) Mason and Samantha (Joe) Gallo; many cousins and her best four legged friend Kirby.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents Dean and JoAnn Bender.