Dacre Kent

KENT Dacre Wadleigh Loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and a powerful force in Marblehead Schools for many years - "a liberated woman before there was a women's liberation movement", we liked to kid her - died Friday at North Shore Medical Center in Salem from Kidney failure at 92. In 1954, at 38 with two teenagers at home, she enrolled at Salem Teacher's College graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1958. During her college career she balanced a schedule of managing her husband Vincent (Vin), housekeeping, childcare (she made it a point to be home when her teenagers got home from school both while in college and later while teaching), her homework, and socializing with classmates. She was soon teaching 6th grade at the Gerry School, at $3500 a year. She taught in Marblehead schools from 1958 to 1985, and was the elementary Math/ Science specialist. She enhanced her Math/Science credentials via summer National Science Foundation grants at various universities from Beloit in Wisconsin to Columbia in New York City for many years. Retiring at age 70 she became the director of Retirement Services for the Mass Teacher's Association, a job she retired from in 2005 at 90. Born Nov 9, 1915 to George Pierce Wadleigh and Beatrice (Lannon) Wadleigh, she was the third oldest of six children who all predeceased her. Dacre was predeceased by her husband of 58 years Vincent (Vin) and is survived by her two sons, Peter Vincent and his Wife Elizabeth (Bradley) of Marblehead and Christopher and his wife Carol Anne (Wensel) of Salem; Four Grandchildren Heather (Kent) Bernardin wife of Georges of Collegeville, PA, Charlene (Kent) Giangrande wife of Chris of Marblehead, Alexander John Kent and his wife Kristin of Marblehead, Nicholas Wadleigh Kent of Jamaica Plain, Boston, and four great Grand Children, John and Melissa Bernardin, and Trevor and Owen Giangrande, as well as many nieces and nephews. In Lieu of flowers donations may be sent to the Marblehead Unitarian Church, the Marblehead Scholarship fund or the Salem Mission. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 4th at 2PM in the Unitarian-Universalist Church, 28 Mugford Street, Marblehead. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. Visiting hours will be on Friday from 4-8PM at the Eustis Cornell Funeral Home, 142 Elm Street, Marblehead. Please visit the online guestbook for Dacre at www.mem.com