James Edward "Ed" Kent, Sr.

James Edward “Ed" Kent Sr, age 86, of Lake Park, GA, passed away peacefully on October 6, 2019. He was born in 1933 to the late Warren Jacob and Annie Mae Culpepper Kent in Jennings, FL. He is survived by his sister Anne Kent Smith of Valdosta; his two sons, James Edward Kent, Jr and wife Penne of Lake Park; Gregory Alan Kent and wife Ollie of Tuscaloosa, AL; and his grandchildren: Jacquelyn and husband Joseph Jaganathan of Great Falls, MT, Carolyn Kent of Lake Park, James Edward Kent, III of Valdosta, JonAlan Kent and wife Katelyn of Tuscaloosa, AL; and his great grandson Joseph Edward Jaganathan. Ed was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Carolyn June Goddard Kent, his parents, his brothers: TJ and Louis; and his sister Inez Cowart.
Ed enlisted for active duty service in the United States Air Force in 1950, and soon deployed to Pusan, North Korea to support the Korean War effort. He returned a year later and rose rapidly to the rank of TSgt before his Officer Candidate School selection. He traveled the world, with command and staff assignments in Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, North Africa, and Washington DC. Ed rose to the rank of Major before retiring in 1971 at Moody AFB.
Ed loved his family and he loved the people of South Georgia. Upon retirement, he started Mr. Employer to find jobs for the unemployed, and then United Ionics of Valdosta to purify their water. He ultimately sold both businesses and moved his family to Texas where he worked for Owens-Illinois Paper Company until 1984. Ed and June returned to Valdosta to manage the new Polo Outlet Store in Lake Park. Ed retired yet again and was an active Lowndes County school bus driver until 2003.
Ed and June found and joined the original Golden Strummers soon after returning in 1984, and performed extensively around South GA playing the ukulele, singing and performing skits at area hospitals and nursing homes. To know Ed was to love him; his philanthropic endeavors were spread widely around Lowndes County and touched hundreds. Many heartfelt thanks to Barbara and Jimmy Hughes, Laura and Bill Spells, and Pastor Wayne Hughes for their selfless friendship. The family sends special thanks to the Langdale Hospice House’s caring staff for gracefully ensuring our father’s dignity, comfort and security, which allowed him to leave us and proudly rejoin the Lord and his best friend since 1954, our mother.
The funeral for Mr. Kent will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home. Rev. Wayne Hughes will officiate. Burial will follow at McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens with full military honors. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday from 1 p.m. until service time. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the Alzheimer Association’s Georgia Chapter, or the Langdale Hospice House. Condolences may be made to the family on the obituary page of www.mclanecares.com Carson McLane Funeral Home