Patricia A Kent

Pat was born on March 21, 1944, in Morton, Mississippi, to Nola Rae (Matthews) and Ray Arender. An only child, she grew up there before moving to Jonesboro, Louisiana, with her mother, Nola Rae Sheppard (1925–1996). A bright student and majorette, Pat graduated as the salutatorian of Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1961. She went on to attend Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, where she met her husband, James "Jim" Edward Kent (1938–2002). Pat transferred from Louisiana Tech to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge to finish her education, earning her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1964.

During their marriage, Pat and Jim relocated to various cities across the country for multiple jobs in Jim's wood product industry. Throughout these years, Pat was completely devoted to her family as a loving homemaker and mother to her two children, Brad and Dana.

The family settled in Winnfield, Louisiana, in 1978, where Pat would spend the next 46 years making a profound impact on her community. While raising her children, she returned to school at Northwestern State University to earn her teaching certificate. Pat first worked as a substitute teacher teaching business classes throughout Winn Parish at both Winnfield Senior High School and Dodson High School as well as her high school alma mater of Jonesboro-Hodge High School in Jackson Parish. For twenty years, from 1994 until her retirement in 2014, Pat worked as a passionate high school English and business teacher at Bolton High School in Alexandria. She was also a dedicated, long-time advisor for the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), shaping the lives and careers of countless students.

Pat’s faith and community were central to her life. She was an active and devoted member of the First United Methodist Church in Winnfield, where she served on numerous committees, sang in the chancel choir, and built deep, lifelong friendships. She was a fixture at local youth and school activities, serving as a dedicated parent in the Winnfield Senior High School Band Booster Club and never missing one of Brad’s halftime performances or Dana’s basketball games.

In her retirement, Pat loved road tripping to visit her friends and family while also traveling around the world to see new places, often with her lifelong best friend Patricia "Pat" McDonald (Plano, TX). When at home, she found great joy in tending to her beautiful yard and flowers, cheering on the LSU Tiger sports teams, attending musical events at Northwestern State University, and staying active with the Winn Parish Retired Teachers’ Association for several years. In late 2024, Pat moved to the Austin, Texas area to be closer to her children and their families for greater support.

Pat was preceded in death by her mother, Nola Rae Sheppard (1925–1996).

She is survived by her children, Dr. Dana Leigh Kent Maass and her husband Brian of Round Rock, Texas, and Dr. Bradley Norman Kent and his wife Laurie of Leander, Texas; her granddaughters, Sydney Kent of Denver, Colorado, and Marin Kent of Denton, Texas; her cousins, Gene Arender (Cissy) and Allen Arender (Laura and children) of Franklin, Tennessee; and a wide circle of dear friends.

Following cremation in Texas, a memorial service celebrating Pat's life will be held at a future date at the First United Methodist Church in Winnfield, Louisiana.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Pat’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association online at alz.org, or by mail to 320 Nevada St., Suite 201, Newton, MA 02460. Alternatively, contributions may be made online to the Future Business Leaders of America Scholarship Program at https://www.fbla.org/donatefbla/.

We celebrate a life guided by God's promise: "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."

Memorial Service for Patricia "Pat" Kent:

Saturday, 11/28/26, 11 am

First United Methodist Church

Winnfield, Louisiana 71483