Shirley Kent

Shirley Elizabeth Kent, 79, of Gormania, WV died on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at her home. Born on October 10, 1935 in Shaw, WV, she was a daughter of the late Joseph and Katie (Nelson) Helmick. Shirley graduated from Elk Garden High School, valedictorian of her class, and earned a scholarship to Potomac State, graduating with an A.A. degree. She then graduated from Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She received her Master's Degree in Education from The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. She spent almost 60 years in public education. She first taught in a one room school in Garrett County, Maryland, followed by 29 years in Baltimore City. After retiring, she began working as an instructor, then program coordinator for Appalachian Crossroads, Oakland, MD - a job she dearly loved. Upon moving into their new building, Crossroads named a wing of the building, the Shirley E. Kent Center. She was a member of the Bayard Church of God; she began teaching Sunday School when she was 15 and was still substitute teaching at the time of her death. Shirley loved to read, write short stories and poems and enjoyed solving all kinds of puzzles. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Emory H. Kent; one daughter, Lois Davis and husband Paul, both teachers in Virginia; two granddaughters, Katie Davis, PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, Canada and Anna Davis, a recent graduate of George Mason University, who is now a technical writer. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by four brothers, Calvin Paugh, Bruce, Charles and William Helmick; two sisters, Frances Kitzmiller and Mary Haupt; a brother in law, Terry Lewis; and a sister in law, Kay Helmick. Friends will be received at the Bayard Church of God on Saturday, July 18th from 10 AM to 12 PM after which time a funeral service will be held with Pastor William McCallister and Pastor Phillip Marcum officiating. Interment will follow in the Bayard Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grant Memorial Hospice, 1 Hospital Dr., Petersburg, WV 26847 or Bayard Church of God, 99 Spruce St., Bayard, WV 26707. The C & S Fredlock Funeral Home, P.A., Oakland has been entrusted with arrangements.

Service Information