Russ Bent, 79, worked to refine the profession of psychology

Early in his career, Dr. Russ Bent worked as a clinical psychologist, sitting one on one with clients and helping them regain their emotional footing.

He cared about easing them through difficult times. But the aspect of psychology that fascinated him most was the broader notion of how the field is taught and practiced.

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Dr. Russ Bent of Roswell, before becoming a psychologist and educator, was a magician.

“He had a vision of what he thought psychology could be as a profession,” said his wife, Ann Bent of Roswell. “It was very important to him to be on the leading edge of developing his field.”

“He was a natural leader in that area, where he was helping to decide which direction the field of psychology should take,” she said.

Dr. Russell Julian Bent, 79, died of cancer

Aug. 22 at his Roswell residence. The body was cremated. A private memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. today. Cremation Society of the South is in charge of arrangements.

Dr. Bent grew up on the outskirts of New York and received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Fordham University in 1961.

In 1966, he joined the faculty of Emory University.

“He was definitely an intellectual,” his wife said. “He always liked the challenge of stimulating people to thinking about issues and sharing his knowledge with them. He was very verbal and enjoyed having those kinds of in-depth conversations with his students.”

Especially early on, “it was like being at the forefront of the development of psychology,” his wife said.

While at Emory, Dr. Bent went to work at the Georgia Mental Health Institute, where he juggled administrative roles, served as deputy superintendent and worked with psychology students in internship programs.

He taught at Wayne State University from 1978 until 1994, when he retired as dean of its School of Professional Psychology.

That position, his wife said, allowed him to further refine his ideas about how professional psychologists should be trained, which he continued to hone as an officer of the American Board of Professional Psychology.

At professional gatherings, Dr. Bent’s colleagues would jokingly call him “The Great Bentini” when he stepped forward to entertain the crowd with his sleight-of-hand magic tricks.

“He worked as a professional magician when he was 18 or 19 years old, before he got into psychology, and he even appeared at Carnegie Hall,” his wife said.

“He really enjoyed being able to do something that people were astounded by,” she said.

He never got into anything as showy as cutting people in half — most of his tricks involved cards, thimbles, rings and other simple props.

“But he studied it extensively and had quite a library of magic books,” she said.

Nor did he have a problem stepping into the spotlight and commanding an audience.

“He was very outgoing, the sort of person who felt comfortable in crowds and always had something to say,” his wife said.

Naturally athletic, Dr. Bent golfed, swam and went on ski trips. He shot black-and-white photos of cityscapes and nature scenes and taught himself to be a skilled cook, especially with gourmet French dishes.

“He always had a very inquisitive mind,” his wife said. “If he was interested in something, he would study it and read all about it and learn as much as he could.”

“He just had a great appreciation for many, many aspects of life,” she said. “He was concerned about the country. He was concerned about politics. He was a very occupied man.”

Survivors other than his wife include a daughter, Pamela LeBey Wilson of Atlanta; a son, Daniel LeBey; and two grandsons.