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On a Missouri farm during the Depression, on July 4th of 1930, Phyllis Kent came into the world.
Thereafter, Grandmother told her every year, "All those fireworks are just for YOU!" Grandmother
was a one-room schoolteacher in Powersville, Missouri--and her mother had been the same. In her
maternal bloodline Phyllis possessed Native American and canny frontiersmen, resourceful farmer,
and a grandfather who'd fought in the Civil War. With two older brothers in the Navy during World
War II, Phyllis tagged along with her father, working in the fields; excelled in her studies; rode
her own, beautiful Tennessee Walker named Starlight; and attended church every Sunday with her
lifetime friend, Ellen.
Phyllis learned to sew with the 4-H Club. An exceptional seamstress, she competed at the Missouri
State level. Phyllis was also a gifted athlete—winning nearly every competition within 4 states.
But what she really loved to do, was dance. Phyllis traveled to Chillicothe Business College,
where she obtained her degree from secretarial school, even though she had a full first-year
scholarship to a state university.
When young Phyllis met Robert Kent--four years her senior--she was Valedictorian of her class,
and Superintendent of her Sunday school. Bob Kent swept into Mom's small town as a dance teacher
for Fred Astaire Studios in a flashy yellow roadster, from Kansas City. He was a persuasive,
charismatic, tall and handsome man. He had vaudevillian star ancestry and a magnetic grin. They
eloped to Madison, Wisconsin. Phyllis bore five children, all of whom survive (Vivian Kent,
Jaylene Kent, Aimee (Kent) Ballantyne, Robert Kent Jr., Brian Kent (Satomi). Phyllis is also
survived by two beautiful and gifted grandsons (Ryan and Hugh).
Phyllis Kent spent 54 years of her life at Pine Crest Prepatory School. Phyllis Kent loved
nurturing things. She adored living flowers, the exciting tastes of Florida's exotic fruits,
and its unique wildlife. She cherished butterflies protectively. She could become quite hard-pressed
when her caterpillars were running low on milkweed, or being eaten by toads or lizards. She even
constructed an outside nursery for them using wood and chicken-wire to protect them from their
predators. She would trundle a chrysalis protectively inside, where she could monitor its progress
more closely before releasing it, metamorphosized to flutter into the sunshine. She also loved to
garden and to feed the birds, who flocked to her yard in droves.
Phyllis not only had a lifetime passion for dancing; but was a gifted teacher of Square Dancing,
Round Dancing, Line Dancing, ballroom dancing. She was also President of the Florida
Round Dance Council, and travelled far and wide to see her dance friends. By providing for her
own children and working for the children of others at Pine Crest School, Camp Highlander, and
Pine Crest Day Camp, Phyllis became an epic model and mentor for many staff at the Pine Crest
campus. Phyllis' native intelligence, resourcefulness, organizational skills, innovations,
insights, and tremendous hard work-- natural leadership and witticisms--propelled her to the top
of the administrative ladder. Over her tenure, she started out driving a bus, serving as a
secretary--substituting for dormitory parents on weekends-- and acting as lower school librarian.
At her zenith, Phyllis served as Director of Pine Crest Day Camp Transportation, and Dormitory
Coordinator at Pine Crest School. She worked roughly 120 hours per week, all year long. A
celebration of Phyllis Kent's life will be held at First Christian Church of Wilton Manors,
2725 N.E. 14th Avenue, Wilton Manors, Florida, 33334. Dr. John Stauffer, Pine Crest '62, will
officiate. The service will be the Sunday after Thanksgiving Day, November 25th, 2018, at 1:00.
All of the many who loved Mrs. Kent during life, will be welcomed to honor her memory.
Excerpted from the Sun-Sentinel, November 4, 2018.
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Phyllis Kent
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