Kent Carnahan, 83, of Compton, IL, died Sunday, June 14, at Stonecroft Village Retirement Community. A visitation will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Horner-Merritt Funeral Home, 800 Monroe Street in Mendota from noon to 2 p.m. with a memorial service following at 2 p.m at the funeral home. Immediately following the service, a celebration of life will be held at the Elks Lodge in Mendota. Please visit www.horner-merritt.com to sign the online guest book.

Kent Wayne Carnahan, born April 9, 1943, to Clifton and Margaret (Halboth) Carnahan, and big sister Carol, attended Compton Elementary and Mendota High Schools, the latter at which he excelled in basketball. After high school, he spent a year playing basketball at Iowa Wesleyan before transferring to the University of Wisconsin (UW) in Madison. There, he was a member of the UW Badgers varsity rowing team, culminating in competing in the Olympic Trials on Lake Onondaga in Syracuse, NY, in June 1965.

He married his high-school sweetheart, Adrienne Althaus, with whom he had three daughters. The couple lived in Madison while Kent finished his last semester of college, then moved to the home farm near Compton. During the Vietnam War, Kent attended basic training at Fort Jackson and served with the National Guard. Afterward, he spent his career farming, expanding, and improving the 6th-generation Carnahan farm, especially its natural groves and prairie areas. Later, he and Gerry Hanson opened a tree service that operated in the area for many years. After the unexpected passing of his first wife, the wild ride of the single dad began. He was later married to Jean Lane from 1986 until 2000. After reconnecting with Bonnie Price at their 40th high school reunion, they spent over a decade traveling and enjoying retirement.

Kent served on the board of the First State Bank for 43 years, retiring as Chairman of the Board in 2018. He was a member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Brooklyn Cemetery Association, the local Elks and Moose lodges, and the UW Alumni Association. In his spare time, he liked collecting coins, spoons, stamps, and artwork, and going to antique fairs. He also valued time with family and friends, and keeping up with (and sometimes even successfully betting on) college sports, especially UW sports. His travels took him to several countries over his lifetime, including Russia, Ireland, Croatia, Serbia, Switzerland, Mexico, and France.

Kent made a point of visiting and keeping up with his daughters and grandchildren and sharing with them his love of donuts, homemade waffles, popcorn, Bernie’s Rock Shop, UW, hikes in Arbor Cove, being part of the rocket recovery team on farm rocket days, and, in these later years, drinks at the Elks. Kent’s daughters and families will remember him as a generous and sometimes cantankerous father/father-in-law/grandfather who provided them with love, knowledge, friendship, and laughter. He was a good storyteller and an excellent beer drinker, and he could grill up some amazing burgers and steaks. He could give a hardy Dutch rub, and often kicked off meals with “Eat hearty, mateys!” Kent’s imposing stature and booming voice made many a potential boyfriend quiver, but his easy smile and soft interior put most people at ease. His family thanks him for showing them that it’s okay to wear your emotions on your sleeve, it’s important to tell people why they're important to you, and the way to persevere in the face of hardship. They will all miss him dearly.

Kent was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Carol (Henry) Vehrs, his wife Adrienne, his partner, Bonnie, and his cat, Joey. He is survived by his children: Margo (Steve) Ban, Paige (Pat) Nussbaumer, Whitney (Dustin Lemmon) Carnahan, and stepson Christian (Janda) Lane; his grandchildren: Hayley, Hannah, Marisa, Trace, and Finn; as well as many nieces, nephews, and close friends and relatives.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lee County Farm Bureau, http://www.leecfb.org/, or the UW-Madison College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, https://cals.wisc.edu/.