Shirley Kent, 72, of Mendota died March 29, 2009, in Mendota Community Hospital. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota, with the Rev. Richard Schaill officiating. Burial will be at Restland Cemetery, Mendota. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. She was born Aug. 13, 1936, in Rend City to Lawrence and Zella (Wayman) Gilbreath. She married Oran Kent on Aug. 9, 1952. She attended the Church of the Nazarene in Mendota. She was employed by Hart- Carter, Motor Wheel Corp. and Heritage Manor Nursing Home, all in Mendota, and Home Instead in La Salle before her retirement. She is survived by five sons, Michael (Debbie) Kent of Earlville, Rick (Marlene) Kent of Mendota, Lonnie (Gloria) Kent of Mendota, Alan (Diane) Kent of LaMoille and Darrell (Karena) Kent of Bentonville, Ark.; one daughter, Linda (Bob) Kurtz of Mendota; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one brother, William Gilbreath of Benton; and two sisters, Maxine Wilkensen of Mount Vernon and Leonora Jean Furlow of Valier. She was preceded in death by her husband on May 22, 1994; her parents, three sisters and two brothers. Memorials may be directed to Mendota Area Christian Food Pantry or the donor's choice.