Caroline E. Gent of Mount Vernon, Washington, died peacefully on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at Creekside Assisted Living in Burlington. She was 91. She was born on March 29, 1932, to Edward and Caroline (Schaeffer) Bennett in Oceanside, New York. She graduated from Oceanside High School in 1949 and quickly found a job as a secretary at Grumman Aerospace Company in Bethpage, New York. It was there that she met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Gent. They were married in Oceanside in June of 1952.

Carol was always proud of her work in the Safety Department at Grumman, but she was very satisfied to leave her job for her next role as a mother. Their lives were shaped for the next 10 years by being transferred to Lancaster, CA, Key West, FL, Virginia Beach, VA, and New York. In 1966, the family moved to Oak Harbor, WA, where she would live for the next 48 years, and where she and her husband Bob raised their family.

Carol and Bob were involved with many friends in their time in Oak Harbor. They enjoyed trips and camping adventures with the family. They were both members of the Whidbey Golf and Country Club, where Carol would one day become president of the Ladies Club. They were also active at St. Augustine Catholic Church. In retirement, Carol and Bob enjoyed a happy retirement with friend, traveling, and visiting their children and grandchildren. After her husband’s passing in 1998, Carol fulfilled a plan she and Bob had considered, by buying a condo in Sun City, AZ, where she spent a few months every winter. In 2014, she moved to Mount Vernon to be closer to family.

Carol’s main mission in life was to be a terrific wife and mother. She continued to be a doting mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother up until her last days. She is survived by her four children; Robert Jr. of Burlington, Kevin (Roxanne) of Bainbridge Island, Cheryl (Moises) Sandoval of Dayton, OR, and Michael of Snohomish, as well as 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Edward, as well as her granddaughter Jasmine.

Funeral services will be held at Immaculate Conception Church in Mount Vernon (215 N. 15 th St, Mount Vernon) on Friday, August 11, 2023 at 12:15 PM. An Inurnment Service will follow at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Oak Harbor at 2:30 PM. Kern Funeral Home in Mount Vernon will be handing funeral arrangements, and you may offer your condolences and share memories at www.kernfuneralhome.com.