Herbert Kent

Herbert Kent passed away Feb. 25, he was 95 years old.

He was born on the family homestead near Benge, to Charles and Pauline Kent on Dec. 27, 1916. His birth was attended by ‘Grandma’ Stephenson and he was named after a son of hers that had died young.

He was the third of eight Kent children that reached adulthood. They are Wilbur, Robert, Virginia, Emma, Alfred, Anita and Mary Ann. Two other brothers, Cyril and Kinsey, died in childhood.

He attended school at Benge, except for his senior year. He worked for ‘room and board’ in Ritzville during his senior year of high school, Class of 1935, so that he could graduate from ‘an accredited’ high school.

During his school years, he worked for area farmers while some of them were still using horses. He also helped herd sheep and trail them to summer pastures in north Idaho.

After high school, he spent a few summers working on U.S. Forest Service ‘blister rust’ crews in north Idaho.

In January 1941, he and his older brother Bob joined the U.S. Army. They were together on the Philippine Islands in 1942, when the Japanese Army captured the islands. They were also together for a few months in a Japanese prison camp. Bob was killed on a Japanese prison ship in October 1944.

He survived the 40 months as a prisoner of war (POW), doing horrible prison labor, and learned of his brother Bob’s death after World War II ended in 1945.

He married Dorothy Adams in December 1945. Dorothy was an Army nurse at the recovery hospital where he was sent after his POW ordeal. They both said it was ‘love at first sight’ and got married after just a two week courtship.

Shortly after that, they were both discharged from the Army and they returned to Benge. His father gave Dorothy a ‘fixer upper’ house for a wedding present, which he promptly began rebuilding. Adding running water and a bathroom were the first priorities.

He continued to work for local Benge farmers before purchasing the Benge Tavern, for Dorothy to run. In 1950, he and his younger brother, Alfred, began buying and operating a wheat farm that their father owned. They became full-time farmers and over the next few decades, the Kent Brother’s little family farm raised cattle, hay, wheat and two families.

He served the Benge community in many ways, and without being asked, always stepped forward when something needed to be done. He and Dorothy loved to travel and see the sights, from day trips, to sea cruises, to winters in Arizona.

He was preceded in death by his son, Alan in 2010 and his wife Dorothy in 2011.

He is survived by his children; Robert (Judy) McDowell, Alan (Irma) Hoffman, Ellen (Randy) Bachman and Lisa (George) Whitney, nine grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

Funeral services are Mar. 17, at 1 p.m., at the Benge Church.

Danekas Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Memorial contributions can be given to the Ralston Grange, Benge Church or Washtucna Lions Club.