George Carmen Dent

George Carmen Dent, age 98 of Wayne, passed away on Sunday, December 14, 2025.

Born and raised in Lyndhurst, NJ as one of four children to Patrick and Rose Dent, George grew up during difficult times but always described his childhood as idyllic. Though everyone had very little, there was a camaraderie and joy among neighbors that made those years special. He cherished fond memories of kids always playing outside in the neighborhood that you don’t see any more in today’s world. With World War II underway, George was accelerated through high school, graduating at just 16 years old to help support the war effort. True to that calling, he joined the United States Army Air Corps (the U.S. Air Force didn’t become an independent branch until 1947).

After his military service, George was set up on a blind date with a beautiful woman named Mary Mirti. The two hit it off immediately, and one date kept leading to another. They fell in love and married at the Military Hotel in Mary’s hometown of Newark. They settled in Wayne, NJ where they purchased a home together and were blessed with three beautiful children: Theresa, Patrick, and Julie. George and Mary enjoyed a loving marriage of over 60 years and ran a successful business together while raising their family. During their marriage, George and Mary also got enjoyment from their beach house in North Carolina as well as their travels to our National Parks, Hawaii and Brazil. When Mary became sick, George devoted himself to caring for her until her passing in 2019.

George had a passion for dancing, which started in his youth and never wavered. He competed as a ballroom dancer for a time but even after he stopped dancing competitively, he never lost his passion. He danced his whole life well into his 90’s! He was famous for his Jitterbug and especially loved moving to Big Band music. Beyond the dance floor, George was an avid gardener and maintained an incredible garden full of flowers and vegetables. He also loved reading the newspaper daily, excelled at random trivia, and enjoyed watching Jeopardy every night. George also got pleasure from watching his favorite sporting teams, the Mets and the Giants. After Mary passed away in 2019, George taught himself to cook proving it’s never too late to learn new skills.

George will be remembered as someone everyone loved. He was sociable, loved to smile and laugh, and occasionally shared a complaint or several. But above all, he loved life. Bright and articulate, he could seemingly converse on any subject with anyone (and he would). Most important to George was his faith and his family. He was a deeply religious man who shared both his faith and his love of life with everyone lucky enough to cross his path. He will be dearly missed.

George is predeceased by his wife Mary Dent; his parents; Patrick Dent and Rose Dent; and his siblings: Madeline Huss, and Benjamin Dent.

George is survived by his sister Connie Morton; his three children and their spouses: Theresa and Mark Davies, Patrick and Renee Dent, and Julie and Richard Koop; his five grandchildren: Christopher Dent, Erika Kelly, Rachel Davies, Zachary Koop, and Joshua Koop; and his 4 great-grandkids: Nash Ryan Kelly, Colton Patrick Kelly, Madison Charlotte Kelly, and Cassen Joel Dent.

Donations to the American Cancer Society or Alzheimer’s Association are appreciated in lieu of flowers.