Obituary of Jack O. Lent

 

Smethport, PA-Jack Orlo Lent Sr., 97, a longtime Smethport resident, passed away of natural causes at Sena Kean Manor on Sunday, August 16^th, 2020. 

 

Born May 10, 1923 in Bradford, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Thomas Orlo Lent and Edith Banning Lent.  He was predeceased by his 3 siblings, Roberta Campbell of Indiana, Hobert Lent of Ormsby, PA, and Janie Lent of Bradford, PA. 

 

Jack graduated from Smethport Area High School, class of 1941, and began a 44 and 1/2 year career with Pennzoil in Ormsby, PA. 

Jack served in the US Army Air Force in World War II from 1943-1946 and was based in Guam as a mechanic on the Boeing B-29 Superfortress; eventually becoming a staff sergeant in just 3 years.  Jack was blessed with an amazing memory.  Up till his death he was still able to recall the number of cylinders and the horsepower of each engine, as well as the exact length of the propellers.  Upon his return from the military, Jack resumed his career with Pennzoil until retirement.

 

Jack met his wife, Dorothy Jean Haberly, at a roller skating rink in Olean, NY and they were married on New Years Day in 1947 at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Olean, NY.  They built their first home on 1414 West Main St. in Smethport, where they raised their 9 children; Jack Orlo Lent Jr. of Salamanca, NY, Robert Joseph Lent of Olean, NY, Linda Mae McKeirnan of Hickory, NC, James Raymond Lent of Smethport, PA, Thomas Ray Lent of Warren, PA, Susan Marie Lent of Olean, NY, Mark Raymond Lent of Portville, NY, LuAnne Lent Mast of Townsend, DE, and Jeffery Lee Lent of Ludlow, PA.  Jack was predeceased by his wife Dorothy Jean in 2002 and his daughter Susan Marie in 2009.  Jack was a grandfather to 24 grandchildren, and had several great and great-great grandchildren.

 

In addition to his long career with Pennzoil, Jack also worked as a radio and tv repairman, taxi driver, landlord, and business owner.  He and Dorothy owned The Smethport Bowling Alley from 1956-1969 and The Smethport Drive-In (“Tastee Freeze”) from 1969-1977.

 

Jack enjoyed golf, swimming, downhill and cross-country skiing, baseball, dancing, roller skating, boating, camping, water skiing, jet skiing, snowmobiling, four wheeling, motorcycling, and hunting.  Most of these activities he still enjoyed well into his 80s.   He never took any medication, but instead took a teaspoon of honey with cinnamon and drank vinegar and water daily.

 

Jack will be buried in Smethport at Rose Hill Cemetery.  A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 5th at 11 AM in Rose Hill Cemetery, Smethport.

 

Memorials, if desired, may be made to Sena Kean Manor, 17083 Rt. 6, Smethport, PA  16749.  Online condolences may be made at www.hartle-tarboxfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Hartle-Tarbox Funeral Homes, Inc., Smethport.