Mary T Kent

6/7/32 - 4/2/20

On June 7, 1932, the world was blessed with a beautiful spirit. She was put on earth for a purpose. She lived up to that purpose and then some. Born in Alabama, Mary was the oldest of three. She and her two younger brothers, Robert and Alton grew up living a simple life in a small town.

Mary was a gentle Southern woman with a fiery spirit. One of her favorite stories to tell was the story of how she met her husband, Andrew. One day, her father ran out of sugar while he was making his famously popular pomegranate jelly. He sent young Mary to fetch the necessary item at the grocery store and that is where Andrew happened to work behind the counter. When he inquired what he could help her with she responded “I need sugar” to which he promptly asked “Do you want my kind or the granulated kind?” The young, proper Mary was so angry she didn’t speak to him a while after that. Evidently, she moved past the anger because when she found out about another girl who was sweet on Andrew, she made sure that girl knew he was taken.

Mary’s working career started at the Lanett Cotton Mill in Lanett, Alabama. She worked there with other family members and continued to do so while her sweetheart Andrew went off to the war and served as an Army medic. It wasn’t until his return that the two of them married. Mary was the ripe old age of 17, with Andrew seven years her senior. Something can be said for that day and time, when life was hard and times were lean. The two of them stayed married until Andrew passed at the age of 87 with Mary attending to his every need.

Mary and Andrew had two children while living in Alabama; Bonnie and Andy. With a desire to get away from the life of a cotton mill worker, Andrew packed up his family and moved to Florida to start anew. Life was tough at first, but Mary found work as a baker in the school system and Andrew was hired by Winn Dixie in the produce department. It wasn’t long before their son Mike was born and the now larger family needed a larger home.

The family moved to Pinellas Park, and that is where they continued to raise their children. Family was everything to Mary, and she worked hard to make sure her family had everything they needed. She ran a day care out of her home for a time, so that she could stay home with her children. Imagine her surprise when she discovered a fourth child on the way, nearly ten years after Mike!

Tim made his entrance and it was around that time when she began work at Sears, starting as a switchboard operator. Work as a switchboard operator led to work in the catalog department and then to the floor, where she worked in the men’s department. She measured for suits and helped with fittings, selling men’s clothing until the day she retired in 1990.

Retirement was a special time for Mary. She was able to enjoy her grandchildren. She had seven of them and they were her seven blessings. ‘Nana’ was the name she chose for herself because as she said “No one is going to call me grandma!” She was never one to hold back and she showered love on them as if the wellspring of it would never run dry, and it wouldn’t have, even if she had lived forever. Her seven blessings eventually led to nine more blessings; her great-grandchildren.

Family meant everything to her. She was generous and loving, giving and nurturing, caring and above all - she had a beautiful spirit.

Her daughter Bonnie’s favorite memory of her mom is how each phone call would end. Before Mary would say goodbye, she would always say “I love you sooo much, you just made my day”.

Her son Andy’s favorite memory was that she would tell him “You are my number one and I love you all the way to God’s house”.

Her son Mike says the moment that stands out the most for him was when she met his current wife, Cathy. He said the momma bear was present that day and she was in protection mode. Before long, Mary had opened her heart to Cathy and they became great friends.

Her youngest son Tim’s favorite memory (or memories) involved the crazy things she did with him when he was young. She would ride all the craziest rollercoasters with him even though he knew she hated them. She rode a ski lift up the side of a mountain, terrified and white knuckling the handles and telling him “Don’t make it rock”. She would bring all the latest toys home from Sears where she worked. He says “My parents weren’t rich but they sure made me feel like we were. Thank you mom”

We could fill pages and pages of fond times and funny stories about Mary Kent. She will live on in the hearts and memories of those she loved; her children, grand children and great grand children.

Getting older always leads to the same path. No one likes the destination; that is why we are given family and friends to share our journey.

Arrangements were made under the direction of Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home 7950 131st Street N., Seminole, FL 33776 / 727-391-0121