Robert R. Kent Sr.

1924 - 2006

My beloved husband, Robert "Bob" Kent, passed away on Dec. 3, 2006.

He was the father to 10 children, grandfather to 20, and great-grandfather to three.

He was born on Dec. 1, 1924, in Chicago, Ill. He graduated from De Paul University and was an avid Notre Dame fan. We were married on June 26, 1948. At that point, life would become fuller than we could ever have hoped for!

We packed up the nine children, took my mom and dad with us, and moved to California in 1964. We stayed for a short while in Woodland Hills before finally settling in Thousand Oaks in 1966.

We were married over 58 years, and hoping for 60! He was the best man to have for a father to so many. He passed along so many wonderful traits. He taught his children to be the best they could be. He showed them how to do so many different things. He allowed them to grow as they chose. He supported them through the many phases that life can bring to anyone. He loved all of them for their differences, for their successes, and for being his babies, no matter how old they got!

He was preceded in death by his mom, Helen; dad, John; brothers, Gene and Edward; sister, Charlott; father-in-law, John Buczkowski; mother-in-law Wanda Buzckowski; daughter-in-law Pattee; granddaughter Brenda Hellriegel; and one of his own babies, child number five, Donald.

He is, however, survived by many. The first of whom is our mom, Adeline. For all of the years together, these two were the example of a married couple, that no matter what life brought them, they could make it a special moment in the life of anyone who was near. Dad and Mom were as close as two people could ever be. They were the measure for all in the family to aspire to be.

Mom is not alone. She has with her eldest daughter, Kathy Rich, with granddaughter Charlene and her children (Bob's great-grandchildren), Chris and Briana; son Bob Jr. with grandchildren Michelle and Rob III; son Tom with granddaughter Denise and her child (Bob's great-grandchild) Gavin, granddaughter Jessica, and grandson Adam and his wife, Lacey; son John with grandchildren David and Katie; son Rick and his wife Jean with grandchildren Donald and Jennifer; son Joe with grandchildren Amanda, Aaron and Joey Jr.; daughter Mary with grandchildren Kenny and Jodi Lynch, and Steve Aguilar and her husband, John Blevins; son Jim and his wife, Heather, with grandchildren Chandler and Aliana, as well as a new grandbaby to be born any day now; and youngest son (the only one California-born), Bill and his wife, Dawn.

He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, family friends, and good neighbors from everywhere he lived, as well as fellow parishioners from St. Paschal Baylon, where he dedicated many moments of his life for 40-plus years he attended.

To all of you who had the chance to meet him, you know that no matter what hurdles life laid in his way, he would find a way to get over them. Please know that my husband cared about so many things in life. He will now be taking care of them from his final place with his Lord. Bob was deeply spiritual, and it was that commitment that helped him throughout his life. I know he would like all of his friends to know that he had the best of intentions in all that he did.

A vigil will be held with recitation of the rosary at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Pierce Bros. Valley Oaks-Griffin Mortuary, 5600 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village, just north of Highway 101; phone 805-495-0837. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at St. Paschal Baylon Church in Thousand Oaks. Dad will be buried at Assumption Cemetery in Simi Valley, on Fitzgerald Road near Royal Avenue and First Street. After the burial, a reception will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at Aquinas Hall at St. Paschal Baylon Church.

In lieu of flowers, Dad would like you to consider a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee, through http://www.stjude.org/donate.