Jean B. Kent

Jean B. Kent (nee Baumgartner), of Pompton Lakes, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, November 26, 2022. She was 89 but if you ever asked her how old she was, she would get a twinkle in her eyes and just reply “I’m plenty-nine.” Jean’s middle initial “B” really stood for her maiden name but she always said it stood for “Beautiful”.

The second of Edwin and Murial (Squier) Baumgartner’s four children, Jean was born in Rahway, NJ and raised in Westwood.

After graduating from Westwood High School, Jean attended the University of Cincinnati on a full scholarship where she studied to become a registered nurse. After earning her bachelor’s degree, her first foray into her nursing career was working for the Cincinnati Department of Health.

While at the University of Cincinnati, Jean met Joseph Kent who hailed from Indiana and was also attending the university studying accounting. On their first date, Joe got a case of alligator arms as he forgot to bring his wallet. Jean ended up paying for that date but she fell for him all the same. Their mutual love for each other continued to grow to the point of exchanging marriage vows on August 8, 1955 at the Presbyterian Church in Joe’s hometown of Aurora, Indiana. After the ceremony, a reception took place in the church basement where ice cream and cake were enjoyed by all. Jean and Joe’s honeymoon was a “tour of the Midwest” which, in reality, consisted of just driving her mother to the train for the trip back east. Despite a humble honeymoon, they did get a chance to visit Niagara Falls after college graduation.

Jean and Joe eventually relocated to the northeast and, in 1962, they settled into a home on Lakeside Avenue in Pompton Lakes, NJ. They started their family and were blessed with three children, Steven, Michael and Janet. When the kids were young, Jean focused primarily on caring for them and limiting her outside work to a part-time job as substitute nurse for the Pompton Lakes and Wayne Schools. In 1972, when her sons and daughter reached an age of relative independence, Jean returned to full-time nursing at what was then known as Wayne General Hospital in Wayne, NJ. Over the course of her thirty-two-year career at the hospital, during which it was taken over by St. Barnabas Hospital before becoming St. Joseph’s Wayne Hospital, Jean skillfully and caringly attended to the needs of thousands of patients. When she retired from the hospital in 2004, she lovingly stepped up to the call by caring for her great grandson Josh who needed daily care for the first two years of his life. In her later years, Jean also served as her husband Joseph’s personal nurse until his passing on May 20, 2021.

It was after her retirement from full-time nursing that Jean and her husband Joe joined the Pompton Lakes Golden Agers Club. With his background in accounting, Joe served as the club’s treasurer while Jean faithfully served as second vice-president from 2011 to 2017. She loved the challenge and more importantly, she loved the many dear friends she and Joe made and the really fun activities that the Golden-Age Club offered. She loved the many trips, especially the ones to Shawnee Playhouse in East Stroudsburg, PA and the great lunches at the Shawnee Inn. In fact, Jean not only loved going on the trips, she also loved planning them as well as the Golden Agers involvement in the town’s annual “Pompton Day.”

Nothing got between Jean and her University of Cincinnati Bearcats football games. She remained a loyal fan from her college days throughout the rest of her life.  

Above all else, Jean’s greatest love was for her family – her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brothers and sister. In recent years, many family reunions took place throughout the country in New Jersey, Connecticut, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Nevada. Jean’s last trip was to California when she went to visit her older brother Edwin who just passed away in the fall of this year. Her family shared a love of genealogy and could trace their ancestors all the way back to the Mayflower. She loved the holidays and her family is so thankful that they got to spend this past Thanksgiving together.

Jean was the beloved wife of Joseph, blessed in marriage for 65 years until his passing in 2021. She was the loving mother of: Steven Kent of Sussex, Michael Kent of Pompton Lakes, and Janet Kent-Peterson of Pompton Lakes; cherished grandmother of: Jackie Laurice and husband Ryan of Randolph, Steven Kent, Jr. and wife Krystal of Sussex, David Kent of Pompton Lakes, James Kent of Oakland, and Nick Kent of Wayne; adoring great-grandmother of: Isabela, Logan, Luke, and Josh; and dearest sister of: the late Edwin Baumgartner and wife Connie of Merced, CA, Alan Baumgartner and wife Carolyn of the suburbs of Atlanta, GA, and Nancy Mannino and husband Frank of Bunnell, FL.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Jean’s name are asked to consider:

The Salvation Army

New Jersey Division

P.O. Box 3124

Union, NJ 07083

Please indicate that the gift is in memory of Jean B. Kent