Ernest N. 'Ernie' Kent

HURLEY, Wis. - Ernest N. "Ernie" Kent, 91, of Lake Avenue, Ironwood, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, in Hurley.

He was born Aug. 29, 1923, in Ironwood, son of the late Ernest H. and Sarah E. Kent. He was raised in the Puritan Location, attended local schools and graduated from the A.D. Johnston High School in Bessemer with the class of 1941.

From Jan. 18, 1943, until Jan. 13, 1946, he served in the U.S. Army in communications as a radio operator in Japan during WWII. Ernie was involved in the New Guinea Southern Philippine Liberation and was decorated with the Asiatic Pacific Theater Service Ribbon and Philippine Liberation Ribbon.

He was employed locally at the Ahonen Flooring Plant, All Sports Marine, Kodiak, the Schultz Mobile Home and Trailer Factory, Ironwood Plywood and Bessemer Plywood. He was a janitor until retirement at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Ironwood.

Ernie was a charter member of the Range Civic Chorus and for many years sang with the Superior Sound Barber Shop Quartet. He was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church, past commander of the VFW Post 1823 and a member of the American Legion Post 5 of Ironwood.

He was united in marriage to the former Florence A. Edyvean on April 3, 1948, at the Newport Methodist Church by Rev. Adolf Bergman. Florence preceded him in death on Feb. 6, 2010.

He is survived by a daughter-in-law, Nancy Kent, of Duluth, Minn .; two grandchildren, Ben Kent, of Duluth, and Lisa (Robbie) Rhea, of Superior; two great-grandchildren, Robert and Lily Rhea, of Superior; two sisters-in-law, Margaret E. Bull and Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Moon, both of Ironwood. Also surviving are nieces, Edith (Russell) Rundell, Karen (Robert) Smith and Adele Vandenberg and families; and many other nieces and nephews

Besides his parents and wife, Ernie was preceded in death by two sons, Thomas Lee, in infancy, and Robert William, in 1993 at the age of 43; two sisters, Olive Hocking and Ruby Vandenberg; a niece, Evelyn Keast; nephew, Henry Vandenberg; brothers-in-law, Robert "Bob" Edyvean, Irving "Singer" Edyvean, Dan Bull, Orlo Moon,William "Jack" Hocking and Julius Vandenberg; and sisters-in-law, Julia Edmark and Mildred "Millie" Edyvean.

Funeral services will be held at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 500 East McLeod Avenue, Ironwood, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, at 11 a.m. Rev. Rosemary R. DeHut will officiate. Ernie's family will receive relatives and friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the church on Tuesday.

Military rites will be accorded by the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 of Ironwood

Spring burial will be in the Riverside Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to Wesley United Methodist Church or a charity of one's choice.

Range Funeral Service Inc. and the Ketola-Burla Funeral Home of Ironwood has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.

Private online condolences may be sent to rangefsi@up.net.