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Obituary for GLADYS REBECCA KENT EVANS
At 3:21 p.m. on Friday July 14, 2017, God, in His infinite and unfailing wisdom, called home His devoted servant, Gladys Rebecca Kent Kearney Evans.
Gladys was born May 29, 1926 in Owings, Maryland, the third of six children born to Richard Clement Smith and Laura Jane Dare Randall Smith.
She was a lifelong member of Mount Hope United Methodist Church in Sunderland, Maryland. In 1954, she was a founding member of the church's Volunteer Chorus and remained so until she was physically unable to continue.
She was also a member of the Mount Hope Senior Choir and a dedicated member of the Mount Hope ushers, serving as vice president. She briefly served as a Lay Minister and lovingly taught Sunday School. She also served as church historian.
In her later years, she became heavily involved in the Interdenominational Church Ushers Association of Maryland, Inc., frequently traveling to their conventions in cities like Detroit, Atlanta, Charlotte and Las Vegas.
At the age of 15, she became a committed member of the Rainbow Chapter #28, Order of the Eastern Star, Prince Hall Affiliates, under the Myra Grand Chapter, serving in a variety of positions. She co-founded the Calvert-Tracy Youth Fraternity.
She was also a life member of the NAACP, serving as president and secretary of the Calvert County chapter and as secretary of the Maryland chapter. She cherished the memories of marching for civil rights from the rural south to Capitol Hill. She was instrumental in the creation of Project Echo, a homeless shelter for Calvert County residents. In addition, she founded and owned the Good Neighbor Self-Service Grocery Store in Paris, Maryland for six years.
A lifelong learner, she attended the William Sampson Brooks High School, later receiving and took college courses at Anne Arundel Community College. Though she began her working life as a housekeeper, she became a licensed practical nurse and worked for 17 years at Crownsville State Hospital .in Crownsville, Maryland. She later worked at the Calvert County Department of Social Services and sold insurance for the Combined Insurance Company.
Besides her God, her family and friends and her church, Gladys' passions included reading her Bible and completing her Sunday school lessons, the daily newspapers, gardening, fishing, crabbing, crocheting, canning vegetables and fruit, reading, word search and pottery. In the last year, she became a master of adult coloring books and calendars.
In addition, her rice pudding was a hit of all family gatherings. She passed down her love of raspberries and blackberries to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And, many a summer evening was spent in the company of family and friends enjoying as many hard-shell female crabs as she could consume.
She loved to pass the time watching "Let's Make a Deal", "The Price Is Right", "Jeopardy!", "Wheel of Fortune," "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," "The Steve Harvey Show" NCIS and "Blue Bloods."
Gladys was known by many names and nicknames. Among them were Momma, Mom, Mother, Mom Number 2, Toothpick, Midge, Ninsey, Rabbit, Mom Gladys, Aunt Gladys, Cousin Gladys, Sister Gladys and Miss Gladys among others.
However, no name delighted her more than that of Nana. She was a devoted grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother. Her children's children and, in turn, their offspring, could always count on a kiss, a hug, a nuzzle of their neck, a nibble on their ear and all the affection and love they could ever want.
Gladys leaves to continue her legacy five children,James B. Kent,Jr. (Carolyn), Mary K. Zeigler (Warren), Gretchen R. Nutter, Pamelia K. Moore (Michael) and Milton D.C. Kent (Glenda); nine grandchildren, Lisa T.A. Hounshell, Yolanda N. Kent,J ames B. Kent III, Sherelle Hopkins, Torrey Searles, Latasha T. Ward, Kevin K. Richardson, Jr.,Joseph Anthony and Kristie M. Richardson; an honorary son, Randy Smith; two brothers, Reginald R. Smith (Nettie) and James (Smith) Wallace, a sister, Laura A. Smith Hawkins Ford; 17 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and many more men and women who claimed her as mother.
She is preceded in glory by her parents and by her loving siblings, Doris R. Smith Gray Carter and Henrietta F. Smith Heigh Vauls and her brother, George R. Smith
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