Birth date: Jun 19, 1946 Death date: Aug 14, 2008
Our dear brother, uncle and friend, Robert Lee Kent, from Tacoma,WA., passed away, Thursday, August 14th at Tacoma General Hospital. He is proceeded in death by his mother, Ella and sister, Mae (Jerry) Atwood. Surviving are his b Read Obituary
Rob was a good friend whom I knew from high school. We often lose touch with one another. I'm sorry I did and was thinking of him the other day when I was having an old timers party. I wondered where he was and how he was doing. I wish the Kent family my best wishes. Rob was a real good fellow. A wonderful person. He will be missed.##imported-begin##Jon Suttich##imported-end##
I worked with Rob for about 5 years and we became good buddies. I am so sadden to hear about his passing. I was a early bird shift and it was such a comfort to have Rob greeting me every morning. He always brighten my day. Thank you Rob for what you did, what you said, and who you were. You will be missed! Gail Learned##imported-begin##Gail Learned##imported-end##
"how do" robbie always said that when we saw him each day at the home plate,always had his book,were gonna miss him,"bye bye now"(always said this when he left}. BYE BYE NOW ROBBIE...##imported-begin##sue kapfhammer terry schaler##imported-end##
We would like to give our condolences to you all. We are so glad to know that Rob is in a better place now and we will see him again. Our prayers and love are with you all. Grandma and Grandpa we love you and hope all is well. Uncle Don we think of you often and our love is with you also.
Love the Giles family
Brandy, Colby, MaKayla, Shelby and TyKoda##imported-begin##Brandy and Colby Giles##imported-end##
My condolences to Rob's family and friends. I worked for several years with Rob at the Tides and he and Gail did some work for my husband and I for our new garden. Rob was a dependable,quirky, kind man and I shall remember him now whenever I am gardening. My thoughts to his family.##imported-begin##Sharon Cagle##imported-end##
ROB KENT....A NIGHTOWL; DEPENDABLE; QUIET AND ENIGMATIC; RESPECTFUL;
INTELLIGENT; WELL-READ; A CO-WORKER; A FAIR-TO-MIDDLIN'DANCER; A GENTLE MAN.
TO ENTER "ROB'S WORLD" OF NIGHTTIME IN THE TAVERN WAS LIKE TRESPASSING INTO SOMEONE'S EXCLUSIVE REALM. HE SEEMED TO GRUDGINGLY TOLERATE THE INTRUSION BUT DID NOT LET THAT INTERFERE WITH HIS WORK OR
HIS "RITUALS". HE SPOKE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY AND DID NOT WELCOME IDLE CHATTER OR GOSSIP.
HIS NIGHTLY "RITUALS" ALWAYS STARTED WITH TURNING OFF THE MUSIC AND CRANKING THE TV TO A VOLUME THAT MUST HAVE BEEN HEARD ACROSS THE HARBOR! HE HAD HIS FAVORITE WIERD SHOWS THAT "DAY-TIME PEOPLE" PROBABLY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF. HE ALWAYS MADE HIMSELF A SANDWICH FROM WHATEVER HE COULD SCROUNGE FROM THE KITCHEN, AND HE ALWAYS KNEW WHERE THE PEANUT BUTTER AND JAMS WERE!
THEN CAME WHATEVER "POTION" HE DRANK....HE METHODICALLY STACKED MANY PACKETS OF SUGAR WHICH, ONE-BY-ONE, HE'D CUT OPEN PRECISELY WITH A SCISSORS AND THEN DUMP INTO A GLASS. (IT WAS NOT A PRETTY SIGHT WHEN HE HAD TO HUNT HIGH AND LOW FOR THE SCISSORS!! HE WOULD NOT TEAR THE PACKETS!)
AS MUCH AS HE LOVED TO READ HE ALSO LOVED HIS CIGARETTES. (ONE ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED THE OTHER!) ONCE THE TIDES DECLARED IT WAS A SMOKE-FREE
ESTABLISHMENT IT PUT A CRIMP IN ROB'S "RITUALS", SO, I BELIEVE HE GRANTED HIMSELF A SORT OF "IMMUNITY" FROM THE POLICY BY SMOKING IN THE
MEN'S ROOM, WHICH WAS, OBVIOUSLY, NOT A TAVERN! (AND,YES,THE BOOK
WENT ALONG TOO.)
YOU'D RARELY SEE ROB UPSET...THAT IS, UNLESS YOU MOVED HIS TOOLS OR HIS WORKCLOTHES! UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES ROB'S "CODE OF SILENCE" WAS BROKEN TO THE POINT WHERE ONLY A SEASONED SAILOR MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INTERPRET WHAT HE WAS SAYING!! (SORRY, ROB. THOSE COVERALLS
HAD TO GO! THE SERVERS WERE SURE SOMETHING HAD DIED IN THE LOWER STORAGE ROOM!) :O)
BACK WHEN THERE WERE STILL PULL-TABS IN THE TAVERN ROB PLAYED THEM EVERY DAY. HE WAS SO LUCKY THAT A COUPLE OF US WOULD GIVE HIM MONEY AND TELL HIM WE'D SPLIT IF HE GOT A WINNER. AND DARNED IF HE DIDN'T GET A WINNER!! WE'D BE CHEERING LIKE HE HIT A HOME RUN!!
ROB USUALLY WORE THE SAME "UNIFORM": A BASEBALL CAP THAT LOOKED AS THO'IT HAD BEEN FOUND IN THE TRENCHES DURING WWI; A RED AND BLACK CHECKERED HEAVY JACKET; A "CARHART-LIKE" VEST LINED WITH FLEECE; A T-SHIRT (SOME OF THEM FROM THE SAME TRENCH AS THE CAP!) HIS SHOES, WELL, LET'S SAY THAT THEY WERE KIN TO THE COVERALLS! NO WONDER! HE'D
CLOMP THRU' THE MUD AT LOW TIDE TO RETRIEVE SILVERWARE, GLASSES, CREDIT CARDS, AND SOMETIMES A CHAIR FROM THE DECK. (AND LOOK TO SEE IF SOMETHING HAD DIED UNDER THE TAVERN BECAUSE "IT STUNK"!)
YES, HE SURELY LOVED WORKING WITH PLANTS, TREES, AND FLOWERS. EVERY YEAR HE'D LOVINGLY PLANT HIS TINY GARDEN IN THE HOLLOW OF THE PILING
BETWEEN THE DECK AND THE POOLROOM. SOMETIMES HE'D ANNOUNCE WHEN BLOOMS APPEARED. MANY TIMES WE'D CATCH HIM LEANING OVER THE DECK RAILING TO ADMIRE HIS "GARDEN". HE WAS VERY PROUD OF IT.
NONE OF US EVER KNEW OF HIS LIFE AWAY FROM THE TAVERN. HE WAS SUCH A PART OF THE TIDES FOR SO LONG THAT WE JUST TOOK IT FOR GRANTED THAT HE'D ALWAYS BE THERE.
ROB, YOU TOOK US BY SURPRISE! YOU LEFT BEFORE WE HAD A CHANCE TO SAY THANK YOU, AND GOODBYE!! WE MISS YOU, MY FRIEND.
NANCY##imported-begin##NANCY FITZSIMONS##imported-end##
Mom and Uncle Don:
We are sorry that Rob has passed on, but are so glad that he doesn't have to suffer through those physical ailments that were troubling him any longer.
We are grateful for our knowledge that his lives on and is able to grow and learn and feel fulfilled more now than ever.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and we love you. Thank you for all the care you provided Rob in his last moments here and in the arrangements you have made for a tribute to him as his body is laid to rest.
Love the Hansen's (Liz, Sam, Mark, Ashton, McKay, Michael)##imported-begin##Elizabeth Hansen##imported-end##
