Margaret Mae Kent

Margaret Mae Cramblett Kent passed away on October 7, 2023, at Corydon Care Center where she had lived out her last year. Services will be held on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at 3:00p.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Chariton. Family will receive friends from 2:00 until 3:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will take place at the Corydon Cemetery.

Margaret was born in Lamoni, Iowa on the family farm northwest of town to Charles and Nettie Cramblett on August 22, 1926. She was the middle child of three girls and spent her childhood helping with the family farm and orchard. Margaret always aspired to become a nurse from early childhood. She attended school at Lamoni Schools, graduating in May of 1944. The following fall she entered Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines under the government nurse cadet program during WWII. Upon three years completion of nursing school, she accepted the position of County Public Health Nurse in Wayne County, located in Corydon, Iowa. She was overwhelmed by the welcome she received.

One of her first programs was health education in the public schools. A young farmer helped her with the film projector in Promise City School and a close friendship followed. Maurice A. Kent and Margaret were married on June 12, 1949, at the bride’s childhood home in Lamoni. They made their home on the family farm west of Promise City, Iowa and were married for 60 years. This union was blessed with three children: Michael David, Martin Allen, and Maureta Ann.

Life as a farm wife and mother were always important to Margaret. She was busy with a big garden, orchard trees, keeping the yard mowed, and even helped Maurice with some farming jobs. Margaret worked many community activities along with following her children’s activities. She was on a planning committee for a county hospital. When the hospital had its open house on January 1, 1955, Margaret gave tours through the nursery and formula lab; it was a very large crowd. By early May that year, she was on the nursing staff of the new Wayne County Hospital where she worked for the next 40 years before retiring in 1994.

Maurice and Margaret loved their children’s activities and became 4-H leaders, helping wherever they were needed. Later, they followed their grandkids and great grandkids, delighting in their accomplishments as they grew. She was always there to help where she could. Margaret deeply loved her family and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them.

Maurice and Margaret were able to do some traveling while their health permitted. They were in all 50 states except North and South Carolina. In 1984, with Maurice’s failing health, it was decided to move to Corydon and let Mike take over the farming operation. They built their retirement home from their own plans and moved in September 1985. Margaret joined the Eden Garden Club and was a board member and worker at Prairie Trails Museum. She was a life-long member of Community of Christ, was active with women’s activities, and was a Sunday school teacher. Margaret was truly a woman of faith.

Margaret loved living in south central Iowa, and always referred to herself as a “country girl”.

Those left to honor Margaret’s memory are her son, Michael (Barbara) Kent; daughter, Maureta (Ron Redmon) Perryman; grandsons, Jonathan (Bridgett) Kent, Patrick (Kari) Kent, and Jason (Angie) Kent; granddaughter, Nicole Kantarevic; great-grandchildren, Chad Kent, Samantha Kent, Brady Kent, Harper Kent, McKenna Kent, Maggie Kent, and Vera Kantarvic; two step-great grandchildren, Kolt Squier and Cerah Clark; brother-in-law, David (Dona) Kent; and many nieces and nephews.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 60 years, Maurice Kent; a son, Martin Kent; sisters, Jean (ML) Rains and Mary (Don) Rogers, mother and father in-law Millard and Ruby Kent; and a brother in-law Donald (Cleo) Kent.