Homegoing Celebration For Deacon Gabriel Kent.
Deacon Gabriel Kent, 77, Heaven Sent on April 17, 1946, and Heaven Bound on January 27, 2024. He was born in Mansfield, Ohio to Alice and Oscar Kent. A lifelong resident of Mansfield, Ohio, Gabriel proudly attended and graduated from Mansfield Senior High School.
Gabe had a fond love of football and enjoyed playing growing up on the Northside of Mansfield. He loved sharing sports stories of former great Mansfield athletes from “back in the day.” People that knew him, knew he loved his Mansfield Tigers football and basketball teams, OSU Buckeyes football team, Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Browns. Besides attending and watching sports, Uncle Hubba enjoyed fishing and staying home to watch his Western TV shows: Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Rawhide, and The Rifleman.
Mr. Kent was a generous family man, kindhearted, and hardworking man. He was employed at various jobs throughout Mansfield and eventually after working 20 years with the City of Mansfield in the Street Department, he retired in 2009.
After years of drinking and partying at The A-Club, and prayers from his sisters, Eva and Hattie, Gabriel returned to Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church. Nothing became more enjoyable to him, than coming to church and smiling and greeting people. He became a Deacon and was awarded the Man of the Year Award at Shiloh. Gabriel always kept a Bible with him. During his retirement years, he and his best friend, Deacon Rob Whitfield would come weekly to gracefully clean Shiloh Church. After they cleaned, they would go visit church members at homes, nursing homes and
hospitals. He loved grocery shopping, playing lottery tickets, reading his Bible and getting dressed up for church.
He leaves to cherish his memories his stepdaughters, Pamela Gordon, Tammie Goodman; stepsons, Jimmie Jones, and Dannie Jones; 16 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren; and a host of nephews, special nephews, Ahmed Kent, William Kent, Jr., Marquis Sykes, and Maurice Sykes; host of nieces, special niece, Taymara Graves; host of cousins, special cousins, Willie See Bond and Alice Bond; brother-in-law, Billy Sykes; friends, and his Shiloh Baptist Church family who he loved with all his heart.
Gabriel was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Annie Colleen Kent; stepdaughter, Okemia Jones-Miller; stepson, Casey Jones; three sisters, Mamie Kent, Eva Sykes, and Hattie Flowers; brother, Richard “Saliheen” Kent; and nephew, Christopher Kent Fitzgerald.
The family will receive friends visiting beginning at 10:00 AM till time of service. Funeral Service at 11:00 am on Thursday February 8, 2024 at Shiloh Baptist Church, 130 E. Second Street, Mansfield, Ohio 44902. Ministry of Comfort entrusted to Marlan J Gary Funeral Home, The Chapel of Peace Mansfield, 753 McPherson St. Mansfield, Ohio (formerly Williams Funeral Services). Interment at Mansfield Cemetery.
To stream the service, order flowers, view video tribute and offer condolences to the Kent Family, visit www.TheChapelofPeace.com
Please click here to view program.
To the Kent/Bond/Sykes family, prayers and condolences go out to you all. We love you.
To the family, so sorry for the untimely loss of your love one. Praying God comfort you in your time of sorrow.
Our Prayers are with the Family. Deacon Kent will be missed.
Our condolences to Paul and the entire Kent family, you’re all in our prayers. We know that only God can truly comfort and give you strength as you go through this very sorrowful and painful time, but we pray that knowing there are so many praying for you, and all those that are able to be there with you, encouraging you, supporting you, and just showing you all how much you’re loved, will help to ease the hurt a little.
Prayers and comfort to the family, May he Rest In Peace
Prayers and condolences for the family
So sorry for the loss of Gabe. I worked at the city with him. A very nice and respectful man. Rest in Peace Gabe.
To The Family, I’m so very sorry for the loss of your love one. Praying for the family.
Praying for the Family. Deacon Gabe will be missed.
Condolence to the Kent family. Sincere
Prayers for the family..
My Sincere Sympathy
My condolences & Prays for the family… Mr. Kent was a good man I would talk wit him at least once a week. A Very nice & positive person. He loved his family. Heaven Gained A Good Soul Fly High Mr. Kent u deserved ur Wings!!!!
Glad to have experience a comrade spirit in rooting for those TY Tygers throughout the years. He was fun to be around and he love his community. Glad to know he love the Lord and he will be terribley miss. God Bless and keep his Family during their sad hour.
Prayers and condolences to the family of Gabe Kent. So sorry for your loss. He was a very kind man.
Deepest sympathy to the family of deacon Kent. A kind and good man.
Gabriel and I were childhood friends. He and I were only one day apart in age. He will continue to live in my memory. God bless his family and friends.
I don’t even know where to start. Gabe was the epitome of an amazing human being. He wore his faith and heart on his sleeve. He was so kind and generous and faithful to the people he loved and he never met a stranger. His loss hurts. Gabe will be missed tremendously.
To the family and all those he loved and loved him, I extend my humblest condolences. May God strengthen and comfort you as you grieve this wonderful man.
My sincere condolences to the family. Praying for your peace and comfort during this difficult time.
We were all blessed to have known and shared in the kind and peaceful personality of our beloved Hubba. May he rest in peace, until we celebrate as extended family again. Cousin Vikki Sloan and family.
My sincere condolences to the entire Kent family Brother Gabriel Kent was a great man and he will definitely be missed by all