Willard Laurence Ent

1926 - 2019

Willard Laurence Ent, age 92, passed away on Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Wilmington, NC. Bill was born on October 9, 1926, in Trenton, NJ, to Robert Servis Ent and Frances Leigh Ent. He was preceded in death by his wife, Clyde Connell Ent, his parents, and his brother, Robert Ent. Bill is survived by his sister, Karen Ent Thompson of Harwich, MA; one daughter, Leigh Jefferson (Paul) of Wilmington, NC; three sons, Willard Ent Jr. (Kathy Sullivan), of Woodstock, GA, Dixon Ent (Patsy) of Chesterfield, VA, and Bryan Ent of Whitehall, PA; six grandchildren, Jessica Ent, Willard Ent III, James Jefferson, Kelsey Ent, Judy Ent, and Steven Ent; and one great-granddaughter, Layla Letasky. While in high school, he and his family moved to Shreveport, LA. He graduated from Centenary College with a degree in chemistry. He enlisted in the Army and served in Japan during the Korean conflict. Bill and Clyde were married in Belcher, LA, on August 20, 1954, and made Shreveport, LA, their home. They moved to Allentown, PA, in 1957, where he started his long career with Air Products & Chemicals. He was a member and Chairman of the Allentown Housing Authority. Bill retired from Air Products in 1982 to start his own consulting business. In the 1980s he made numerous trips to China as Chief Technical Adviser for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization with the Beijing Specialty Gas Research Institute. In 2009, he and Clyde moved to Wilmington, NC, where they joined St. Andrews Covenant Presbyterian Church and became Stephen Ministers.A celebration of his life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 31, 2019, at St. Andrews Covenant Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, NC. Memorials may be made to St. Andrews Covenant Presbyterian Church. Please share your memories at legacy.com.The family would like to thank the staff at the Davis Community and Lower Cape Fear Hospice for their patience and care.