Clarence Homer Jent
Clarence Homer Jent, 90, passed away Monday, February 11, 2013, of natural causes at Spring Meadows Assisted Living in Bozeman, Montana. He was born near Westmoreland, Tennessee on December 11, 1922, the son of Clarence H. Jent Sr. and Estelle (Vance) Jent. He attended Macon County Schools and graduated from Westmoreland High School in 1940. The recipient of an FFA Scholarship, he enrolled at the University of Tennessee that fall in the College of Agriculture. While at UT, he met the love of his life, Lora Boone, on a blind date with friends. He immediately told her she was “the prettiest thing he ever saw” and they started dating. They corresponded throughout the war and were married in 1948 when he graduated. They were married for 61 years, until her death in 2009. When the war came, he was enrolled in ROTC and eventually entered the Army Air Corps, undergoing training in Massachusetts; he was assigned to the China-Burma-India theatre and held the rank of Sergeant. After the war, he returned to Knoxville and received his B.S. degree in Agriculture in Jan. 1948. Those were the glory days of UT football, and a fellow veteran named Bob Neyland gave him a ride several times from the greenhouse to the main campus. Dad remained a diehard UT fan for life, never missing a chance to cheer for the Big Orange. Shortly after graduation Dad got the job he really wanted, as a soil scientist for the Soil Conservation Service; he mapped soils all over middle and east Tennessee during assignments in McMinnville, Bristol and Columbia, eventually returning to Knoxville for six happy years and more UT football. While in Knoxville he completed the requirements for his master’s degree in Agronomy, and was transferred to the SCS state office in Nashville, where he worked as an Agronomist until he retired in 1983. He enjoyed fly-fishing, particularly in the Cherokee National Forest streams and in the Abrams Creek Drainage of the Smokies. After retirement he and Lora travelled to Montana for summer visits with their son, Larry, including fly-fishing excursions around Bozeman and Yellowstone National Park. He became an accomplished fly-tier, with many enjoyable hours spent preparing for excursions to Tellico and Montana. He enjoyed reading and gardening. He enjoyed being a part of the Boone family and family gatherings. He is survived by a son, Montana State Senator Larry Jent and daughter-in-law, Julie Ann Jent. Visitation will be held at the Happy Valley Missionary Baptist Church Tuesday, February 19th at 1 p.m. with services at 2 p.m. and internment following immediately at the church cemetery. Miller Funeral Home in Maryville, TN is in charge of the arrangements.
