Marjorie L. Kent

1919 - 2017

Marjorie Lewis Kent



Passed away on Thursday, February 23, 2017. She was born on January 18, 1919 in Boston, Massachusetts to Cyd and Kate Lewis. She was married to Maurice "Mossy" Kent for 54 years before he passed in 1998. They first met in Boston on a blind date during high school. They moved to California when Mossy returned from combat in Guadalcanal and was stationed at the Santa Ana Army Airbase (now the Orange County Fairgrounds). They later settled in Long Beach and raised two children, Jean Kent Unatin and Ronald David Kent. Marjorie partnered with her husband in several small businesses, including their stylized men's clothing label business located in Belmont Shore for over twenty-five years. Heavily involved in the local boating community, they started the Long Beach Marina Boat Owner's Association, co-founded the Marina Yacht Club, contributed to the design of the Alamitos Bay and Downtown Long Beach Marinas, and were members and officers of the U.S. Power Squadron teaching seamanship, navigation and safe boating classes. Marjorie and Mossy enjoyed many years of organizing and participating in cruises to Catalina and throughout Southern California with their family and yacht club friends, Opening Days and awards banquets. In 2004, as a tribute to her husband, Marjorie and city officials dedicated the Maurice "Mossy" Kent Park overlooking the Alamitos Bay Marina, featuring a bronze plaque, bench and sign designed by her daughter Jean. In her '90's, Marjorie stayed involved for many years by reading books to and assisting children with learning disabilities at Lowell Elementary School. The dedicated group of teachers she worked with became caring friends. She also participated in a weekly knitting group, the Knit Wits, at the Alpert Jewish Community Center, which donates their finished products to hospitals and children in need. Even in her late '90's Marjorie remained self-reliant and lived alone in her Long Beach home. She also still enjoyed getting her hair done and visiting with friends at the salon, which always was followed by visiting "Mossy" Kent Park and taking in the view at the marina. She is survived by her son, Ronald, his wife, Carol, their daughters, Katherine and Jacqueline; her grandson Dean, his wife, Dikla, and their sons, David, Danny and Joshua; and nephews John (Alaine) and Ken Weiss. Her East Coast family includes: Ricky Koresky (Laurie) and their daughter, Hannah, and Marjorie's three nieces: Janice, Beverly and Rosalind. She was preceded in death by her husband who passed from complications of Alzheimer's disease in 1998, and her daughter, Jean Kent Unatin, who passed in 2013 from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). There will be a memorial celebration for Marjorie at "Mossy" Kent Park on Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 1:00 pm. (Please rely on directions to the adjacent Navy Yacht Club - Alamitos Bay Marina.) In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Marjorie's name to one of the following: American Heart Association Orange County heart.org/orangecounty 949-856-3555; The ALS Association Orange County Chapter alsaoc.org 714-285-1088; Alzheimer's Orange County alzoc.org 949-955-9000. Please sign the guestbook at www.presstelegram.com/obits