Mary Eileen Kent

Mary Kent -- BourbonnaisMary "Eileen" Kent, 80, of Bourbonnais, died Monday (March 27, 2006) at Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais, where services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday.Burial will be in All Saints Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Salvation Army; St. Jude's Hospital, Memphis, Tenn.; or to the family's choice.She was born Dec. 5, 1925, first child of Adrian Jr. and Mabel Eells Houmes, rural Hoopeston. She was married to Norman Kent in 1946 in Joliet.She was a 1943 graduate of East Lynn High School and a 1945 graduate of Gallagher School of Business. She retired from the U.S. Department of Energy as a contract specialist in 1986. She also worked for Governors State University, Manteno State Hospital, A.O. Smith, OAC (later APSA), Elwood, and the Social Security Administration District Office, Kankakee. She began her employment career with the National Tea Company in Kankakee in 1944. She lived in the Kankakee area for 30 years, moved to the Chicago suburbs in 1973, and returned to Bourbonnais after retiring.She was a member of NARFE, DOE Alumni; past member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and past officer in the Square-A-Kays Square Dance Club and the Illinois Federation of Square Dance Clubs; and a past member of the National Secretaries Association. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, photography, reading, gardening at Perry Farm and her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.Surviving are one son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Gael and Liana Kent of Bradley; two daughters and sons-in-law, Sandra and Jim Kegg of Bradley, Kathy and Michael Hebert of Evans, Ga.; six grandchildren, Darryl (April) Kegg of Bradley, Jason Kegg of Springfield, David Kent of Donovan, Chad (Tiffany) Kent of Rochester, Michelle (Michael) Peel and Kevin Hebert, both of Evans, Ga.; four great-grandchildren, Hannah and Noah Kegg, Ryan Peel and Kaeley Rae Kent; special friend, Carolyn Moore; three brothers and four sisters-in-law, Adrian and Louise Houmes of Covington, Ind., Carl Houmes, Milton and Aileene Houmes and Gladys Houmes, all of Hoopeston and Ann Houmes of Richmond, Va.; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Helen Wagoner of Rossville, Trudy and John Wood of Champaign, Beverly Shaffer of Panama City, Fla. and Bob Milner of Bloomington; 23 nieces and nephews; and 64 great-nieces and great-nephews.Deceased are her parents, two brothers, Leland and Robert; one sister, Betty Milner; daughter-in-law, MaryJo Raef Kent; brother-in-law, Arthur Wagoner; two nieces and one great-nephew.

Mary Eileen Kent

December 5, 1925 - March 27, 2006