Kent Beittel

1947 - 2020

Beittel, Kent
Kent R. Beittel, born December 2, 1947, went with God, the Great Physician, on October 16, 2020 and reunited with his loving wife Mary. He is the loved son of Dale and Barbara (Kolb) Beittel and the extraordinary patriarch of the Beittel clan. On June 12, 1988, he married the love of his life Mary Casbarro. With her by his side, he poured his immense well-spring of love into their children, Sue (Mike) Poulton, Dee Pendleton, Don (Stacy) Miller, Shanti (Michael) Kelly, Brian (Laura) Powell. He also embraced and cherished their nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Kent and his wife served for over three decades as the leadership partnership which created and managed The Open Shelter in Columbus. He had blessed the lives of thousands of our homeless neighbors with his gifts of insight, wisdom, resources, and genuine respect and compassion. He has enriched the lives of countless volunteers with whom he joined and guided in opportunities for coordinated service and sharing. He has been the ally of all who genuinely cared about community stability and inclusion, and a champion for all who needed an ally. Kent graduated from Albion College in 1972 with a B.A. in Philosophy and later went on to earn two more degrees from the Methodist Theological School in Delaware. In addition to his work at the shelter, he is also known for his work with the Delaware City-County Health Department and the Delaware County United Way as well as the establishment of the Open Door Clinic and the Huckleberry House. In 2017, Kent and his wife Mary were awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Columbus Coalition For the Homeless for their unending commitment to homeless persons despite monumental political and economic obstacles. Kent's faith in God and love for people is evidenced, not only by his commitment of the guests of The Open Shelter and his family, but also by his dedication to Broad Street United Methodist Church. As he begins this new aspect of life, joining with those who love him and have gone on before him, he is remembered, respected, and loved by his brothers, Brooks (Georgina) and Todd (Leesa) Beittel and sister, Elizabeth Beittel, many cousins, nieces, and nephews, and thousands from the streets. All aspects of this life, so worth celebrating, are grounded in his amazing clarity of faith and depth of love with which he has blessed so many. The family asks that community members and friends join them at the Snyder-Rodman Funeral Center, 101 Valleyside Drive at W. William Street, Delaware, OH 43015 from 1-4pm on November 7, 2020 for a period of reflection. A private, family only memorial celebration service will be held Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 3pm at Broad Street United Methodist Church. The celebration of life service will be live streamed for anyone that would like to watch at www.broadstreetumc.net, the churches Facebook page, and also on YouTube. His children have asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his name to The Open Shelter, 61 E. Mound St., Columbus, Ohio 43215, or the Kent & Mary Beittel Do No Harm program for single parents, 61 E Mound Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215. To share a fond memory of Kent or to leave a message of condolence, please visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com. The Snyder-Rodman Funeral Center in Delaware is honored to be serving the Beittel Family during this time.