Photos courtesy of Hospice of the Valley
By Lin Sue Flood

At the tender age of 18, Ned Kent joined the Army. That was January 1940 — just four months into World War II — and he served faithfully through July 1945, virtually the end of the war. A hard worker, Kent rose to the rank of technical sergeant and fought on the front lines of the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. He and his troop won a Bronze Star for their heroic actions storming Normandy while under German bombardment on D-Day 80 years ago.

His daughter Debi is enormously proud of his courage. “My dad is a hero, but my dad is also a humble man,” she says. Proving her point, her 101-year-old dad was quick to add: “I’m no hero. I just served in the Army.”

But those five years of service were difficult to talk about. It took Kent decades to open up about what he experienced, including the horrors witnessed while liberating a concentration camp. One of the people he shared openly with was Hospice of the Valley social worker Roberta Fellows. Once she learned about his time in the service, she was determined to give him some much-needed recognition for all he endured. She called upon a veteran volunteer with Hospice of the Valley’s Saluting Our Veteran’s program.

Just before Armed Forces Day, volunteer Rodney Dehmer paid Kent a visit to honor the Valley resident for his service and sacrifice. The humble centenarian was beside himself, surrounded by son-in-law Sam Knott, a Vietnam era veteran, and Debi, who brought a surprise gift: 11 of his medals framed in a shadow box.

“I know what it feels like to come back from combat,” says Dehmer, a veteran who served in the Marines during the Vietnam War. “There’s a brotherhood and we appreciate each other.”
Fellows and nurse Michelle Stilphen were deeply touched as they watched Kent’s tribute. “My dad was also a World War II veteran, so this is extra special to me,” Fellows says.

Stilphen saw how meaningful this was to Kent. At one point, he closed his eyes and clasped Dehmer’s hand in appreciation. “It’s important that we let our veteran patients know how grateful we are. They deserve to be acknowledged.”

For more information on Hospice of the Valley’s Salutes program or to become a veteran volunteer, call 602-636-6336 or visit hov.org/volunteer.