Kent Belmont Thompson

Kent Thompson was a skilled and handy man. He was well known for his finely designed wooden boats and the restoration of many automobiles in his lifetime.

He was born during a decade that was known for its' great change. America was just becoming known as a world leader and we were juggling many important issues, such as, the escalation of immigration, poverty, work safety and labor and monopoly battles. It was December 11, 1912 when Kent Belmont Thompson entered the world. His parents, Durwood and Sarah Claudia (Race) Thompson, moved from Grand Rapids to Holland, Michigan in 1899. They settled into their home at 22 E. 9th St. and braced themselves for business ownership. They bought a confectionary store which they ran for years, located on 16th Street. Kent and his sister, Carol, enjoyed the many sweet treats they would taste whenever they would visit the family store.

As a young man, Kent was able to find employment at the Holland Diecast Company. His hard work eventually brought him to be hired on at Chris Craft Boat Manufacturing where he learned to perfect the trade of boat building. Later on, he decided to try his hand at business ownership himself. Kent started his own boat company making wooden boats. He was a very skilled craftsman and when he wasn't working on those boats he was often restoring cars. One of his favorite cars to work on was the "Jordan Essex."

Kent and his wife, Genevieve owned another business together. They had an antique store called "The Lantern" located in Central Park on Southshore Drive. It wasn't only their business that drew them to that area. They were also longtime members of Central Park Reformed Church. For years, Kent played his clarinet in a small swing band and in the American Legion Band where he had been a member for fifty years. Kent and his buddy, Frenchie Boudrou had many fond memories of the times they spent together with the American Legion Band.

In 1996, Kent 's beloved wife, Genevieve past away. It was a sad time for Kent, and he had few family members to look to for comfort. His sister had been gone since 1973, leaving him with a niece, Sarah Watson and a nephew Richard Fairbanks Jr. He also looked to his brother and sister-in-law, Benjamin and Cynthia Kollen, of Saugatuck,and his friends during that dark and lonely time.

Kent Thompson passed away at the Appledorn Living Center on January 22, 2006. His love of music, family and friends will be remembered by all who knew him and Kent will be truly missed.