After an heroic and inspiring 20 year battle with a rare muscle disease called Inclusion Body Myositis, Brad is at peace. Born in Denver, CO to parents Gordon and Margaret Bent, he lived an extraordinary life. He is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Leslie; brother Bruce Bent of Palm Beach, FL; children Gordon Jr., Jennifer Verrett (Kevin), Daniel (Jennifer), Erin Louden (Greg) and Eric Tammen; and grandchildren Clint, Gordie, D.J., Annie, Wyatt and Catherine.
Brad graduated from Denver’s East High School and Colorado State University. After college he went to work with Pittsburgh Paint & Glass (PPG) beginning a 35 year career in the coatings industry. In 1986, he began his own business, The Paint Center, Inc. on Fillmore Street and became PPG’s largest paint supplier in 5 states.
He was proud of his Colorado pioneer heritage with family roots going back to Bent’s fort. His grandfather, Alfred E Bent was the mayor of Lamar and Treasurer of the State of Colorado.
His family and friends describe him affectionately as a gentle, kind, loyal, engaging independent man, a teacher to all with a wonderful self-deprecating sense of humor. His grandkids looked forward to visiting him always with lots of hugs and kisses. He was totally committed to family, friends and the community.
He had three special brotherhoods in his life - his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, The Pikes Peak Range Riders of which he is a former President and the El Paso Club. He loved the camaraderie and the special relationships he built over the years with the men in these organizations.
Above all, Brad was a communicator and a connector. He brought people together. With enormous physical limitations, his computer was his mouthpiece and his lifeline to the world. With great wit and wisdom, he sent daily emails to friends all over the country. He tracked down old friends and acquaintances and reconnected with them. He took great joy in writing to the Gazette with emails hassling the authors of certain news stories and weak-minded letters, and he regularly emailed KOA’s radio host Mike Rosen with fodder on issues of the day.
To his friends, he was a super hero for the way he managed his disease. Always positive and so brave, he never became cynical or angry. He said that it allowed him to grow personally – to reveal things he didn’t know about himself. And he viewed it as yet another opportunity to communicate and connect – this time with others who had the same disease. He was a founding board member of the IBM Association, now the Myositis Association.
The family especially thanks Brad’s Hospice friends, Jane, Jessica, Rachel and Steve and his special, very kind CNA, Eddie Phelps. Friends wishing to make donations in his name may send them to Pikes Peak Hospice 2250 Tenderfoot Hill Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906; Goodwill Industries, 1460 Garden of the Gods Road, Colorado Springs, CO 8097 or National Mill Dog Rescue, P.O. Box 88468 Colorado Springs, CO 80908.
Services will be held at First United Methodist Church, 420 N Nevada Avenue at 2 PM on Monday, July 23, 2012.
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