Jack Orlo Lent Sr.

1923 - 2020

SMETHPORT, Pa. - Jack Orlo Lent Sr., 97, a longtime Smethport resident, passed away of natural causes, at Sena Kean Manor, on Sunday (Aug. 16, 2020).

Born May 10, 1923, in Bradford, he was the son of the late Thomas Orlo Lent and Edith Banning Lent.

Jack graduated from Smethport Area High School, Class of 1941, and began a 44 1/2 year career with Pennzoil, in Ormsby.

Jack served in the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II, from 1943-1946, and was based in Guam as a mechanic on the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. He eventually became a staff sergeant in just three years.

Jack was blessed with an amazing memory. Up till his death, he was still able to recall the number of cylinders and the horsepower of each engine, as well as the exact length of the propellers. Upon his return from the military, Jack resumed his career with Pennzoil until retirement.

In addition to his long career with Pennzoil, Jack also worked as a radio and tv repairman, taxi driver, landlord and business owner. He and Dorothy owned the Smethport Bowling Alley from 1956-1969 and the Smethport Drive-In ("Tastee Freeze") from 1969-1977.

Jack enjoyed golf; swimming; downhill and cross-country skiing; baseball; dancing; roller skating; boating; camping; water skiing; jet skiing; snowmobiling; four wheeling; motorcycling; and hunting. Most of these activities he still enjoyed well into his 80s.

He never took any medication, but instead took a teaspoon of honey with cinnamon, and drank vinegar and water daily.

Jack met his wife, Dorothy Jean Haberly, at a roller skating rink in Olean, N.Y., and they were married on New Year's Day, in 1947, at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Olean.

They built their first home at 1414 W. Main St., in Smethport, where they raised their nine children, Jack Orlo Lent Jr. of Salamanca, N.Y., Robert Joseph Lent of Olean, Linda Mae McKeirnan of Hickory, N.C., James Raymond Lent of Smethport, Thomas Ray Lent of Warren, Susan Marie Lent of Olean, Mark Raymond Lent of Portville, N.Y., LuAnne Lent Mast of Townsend, Del. and Jeffery Lee Lent of Ludlow.

Jack was a grandfather to 24 grandchildren; and had several great and great-great grandchildren.

Jack was predeceased by his wife, Dorothy Jean in 2002; his daughter, Susan Marie in 2009; and his three siblings, Roberta Campbell of Indiana, Hobert Lent of Ormsby and Janie Lent of Bradford.

Jack will be buried in Smethport at Rose Hill Cemetery. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the celebration of the life of Jack Orlo Lent Sr. will be determined at a later date.

Memorials if desired, may be made to Sena Kean Manor, 17083 Route 6, Smethport, PA 16749.

Online condolences may be made at hartle-tarboxfuneralhomes.com.