Donald F. Kent

Donald F. Kent, M.D., of Maplewood, formerly of Chatham, died at his home on June 20, 2009. He was 95.Dr. Kent was born October 4, 1913 in Newark and grew up in East Orange. He received B.A. and M.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He was married to his high-school sweetheart, Virginia Golden, until her death in 2005. In 1945, he returned from service as an Army Physician in England and established a private practice in Chatham. As a General Practitioner, he attended to all the town's medical needs, making house calls and serving as the high school physician. He was also active in the community as a member of the Historical Society, Wheelmen's Society, and especially the Chatham Community Players, where he performed in many plays. He also had one professional role, in The Crucible, with the NJ Shakespeare Festival.In 1973 at the age of 60, while continuing to care for his long-time patients, he took on a new career as founder and director of Overlook Hospital Family Practice Residency program. There he taught and mentored new doctors until his retirement in 1988. At the age of 82, he was the oldest person to receive a doctorate from Drew University. He then became a founding faculty member of a new doctoral program in medical humanities at Drew. At the age of 95, he was still teaching a course in the history of medicine (which he alternated with one on the history of plagues) in the fall semester 2008.He also wrote a biography of Peter Roget for the fifth (and current) edition of the famous Thesaurus. He was the beloved husband of 68 years to the late Virginia. Dr. Kent is survived by a daughter, Susan Kent Cakars of Brooklyn, NY; a son, Jeffrey Donald Kent of Quechee, VT, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.There will be a memorial service at the Unitarian Church in Summit, 4 Waldron Avenue, on Saturday July 18, 2009 at 1:00 pm. Arrangements by Wm. A. Bradley & Son, Funeral Directors, Chatham.In lieu of flowers, donations to the Winchester Gardens Employee Scholarship Fund, 333 Elmwood Dr., Mapelwood, NJ, 07040, would be appreciated.