Kent Grummett
January 6, 1922 — October 2, 2010
Kent Grummett
Kent K. Grummett, 88, rural Arcola, died at 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at Tuscola Health Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 at the Kemp Church of Christ with the Rev. Ty Nicol officiating. Burial will be in Arcola Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour before the funeral at the church. The Edwards Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.
Kent Grummett was born on January 6, 1922, son of Wesley I. and Edith Fern Seaman Grummett. He was born northwest of Kemp in the home of his maternal grandparents, Charles and Louella Smith Seaman, and he lived in that home for his entire life. He attended Kemp Grade School and then graduated from Hindsboro High School in the Class of 1941.
During World War II, Mr. Grummett joined the merchant marines. He served on the Liberty ship USS Henry T. Scott as the helmsman who guided the ship and operated the ship’s steam whistle. The Henry T. Scott transported military personnel and food supplies from New York through the Panama Canal. During the trip through the canal, the ship was loaded with torpedoes for use in the South Pacific. Kent was serving on the Henry T. Scott when the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan in August of 1945. The Scott was scheduled to participate in the invasion of Japan before the A-bomb brought World War II to a close.
After his service as a merchant marine, Grummett received a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Illinois State College in 1955 and a Master of Arts degree in Art Education in 1957 from the University of Illinois. After graduate school he taught junior high school art for two years at ABL. He then began working for Pat Patterson Real Estate in Champaign, later going into business for himself in Champaign-Urbana as Grummett Real Estate. He was also a farm owner.
He was an accomplished artist known for his original oil paintings of rural landscapes and portraits. He enjoyed the study of health and nutrition, loved to watch birds, liked discussing markets and farm matters with longtime friend Irvin Thompson of Arcola, and was a dancer who frequently attended area ballroom dances. He was proud to be a member of Kappa Pi Honorary Art Fraternity and the University of Illinois Alumni Association. He was a member of the Douglas County Museum in Tuscola and was the largest individual donor in the museum’s history. He was baptized at age seven in the Mt. Gilead Church and was a member of the Kemp United Church of Christ at the time of his death. He remained true to his Christian faith his entire life.
Mr. Grummett is survived by Carleton “Buck” Lindsey of rural Arcola, his faithful farmhand of over 60 years. He is also survived by Dwight and Dwayne Lindsey; Wingler, Seaman, Clapp and Munson cousins; his power of attorney Lynnita Brown of Tuscola; caregivers Bonnie Tripp and Monica Saril; and numerous friends and acquaintances. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and uncle.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Kemp United Church of Christ or the Douglas County Museum.
Kent Grummett was born on January 6, 1922, son of Wesley I. and Edith Fern Seaman Grummett. He was born northwest of Kemp in the home of his maternal grandparents, Charles and Louella Smith Seaman, and he lived in that home for his entire life. He attended Kemp Grade School and then graduated from Hindsboro High School in the Class of 1941.
During World War II, Mr. Grummett joined the merchant marines. He served on the Liberty ship USS Henry T. Scott as the helmsman who guided the ship and operated the ship’s steam whistle. The Henry T. Scott transported military personnel and food supplies from New York through the Panama Canal. During the trip through the canal, the ship was loaded with torpedoes for use in the South Pacific. Kent was serving on the Henry T. Scott when the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan in August of 1945. The Scott was scheduled to participate in the invasion of Japan before the A-bomb brought World War II to a close.
After his service as a merchant marine, Grummett received a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Illinois State College in 1955 and a Master of Arts degree in Art Education in 1957 from the University of Illinois. After graduate school he taught junior high school art for two years at ABL. He then began working for Pat Patterson Real Estate in Champaign, later going into business for himself in Champaign-Urbana as Grummett Real Estate. He was also a farm owner.
He was an accomplished artist known for his original oil paintings of rural landscapes and portraits. He enjoyed the study of health and nutrition, loved to watch birds, liked discussing markets and farm matters with longtime friend Irvin Thompson of Arcola, and was a dancer who frequently attended area ballroom dances. He was proud to be a member of Kappa Pi Honorary Art Fraternity and the University of Illinois Alumni Association. He was a member of the Douglas County Museum in Tuscola and was the largest individual donor in the museum’s history. He was baptized at age seven in the Mt. Gilead Church and was a member of the Kemp United Church of Christ at the time of his death. He remained true to his Christian faith his entire life.
Mr. Grummett is survived by Carleton “Buck” Lindsey of rural Arcola, his faithful farmhand of over 60 years. He is also survived by Dwight and Dwayne Lindsey; Wingler, Seaman, Clapp and Munson cousins; his power of attorney Lynnita Brown of Tuscola; caregivers Bonnie Tripp and Monica Saril; and numerous friends and acquaintances. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and uncle.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Kemp United Church of Christ or the Douglas County Museum.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Kent Grummett, please visit our flower store.
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