Carol A. Gent, age 74 of Bowlus, MN, formerly of Sleepy Eye, MN, died on August 21, 2023, at home. Visitation will be on Sunday, August 27, 2023, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel with Parish Prayers at 3:00 pm and will continue on Monday from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Monday, August 28, 2023, at 11:00 am. The service will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysleepyeye/live. The clergy will be Fr. Mark Steffl. Interment will be at the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Sleepy Eye. Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
Carol Ann (Haecherl) Gent, the daughter of Archiebald and Lorraine (Helget) Haecherl, was born on April 28, 1949, in Sleepy Eye, MN, grew up there, and graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School. On July 12, 1968, Carol was united in marriage to Maurice Gent at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and they were blessed with four children, Tim, Archie, Brian, and Crystal.
While raising her children, Carol volunteered in many ways at school, helped with homecoming events, and hosted the best spaghetti dinners on Friday nights for the football team and cheerleaders. She also worked part time at the hospital in Sleepy Eye as a nursing assistant and in the lab/x-ray department. Later, she worked at the Old Creamery Café in catering as well as at Saint John’s University and the Sartell school district in their food programs. She had a gift for cooking and those who enjoyed her homemade pizza, pizza burgers, and dumplings never left hungry.
Faith was important to Carol, and she was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She treasured having coffee with friends and the time she spent at the lake. She had a great time bowling over the years and she loved to shop, play Bingo, and try her luck at the casino. She had a knack for decorating and created beautiful floral arrangements. Carol found the greatest joy in being with people and she was the very definition of a social butterfly. Everybody knew her and she loved on everybody. She was the proudest of her children and grandchildren. Carol’s kindness, thoughtfulness, and presence will be greatly missed.
Carol is survived by her beloved husband of 55 years, Maurice Gent of Bowlus; children, Tim Gent (Sherri Sellner) of Sleepy Eye, Brian (Dawn) Gent of Sartell, and Crystal (Matt) Ibberson of Sleepy Eye; grandchildren, Thomas Gent, Alexis (Austin) Stainbrook, Kathryn Gent (AJ), Emma Gent, Samantha Ibberson, McKenna Ibberson, Piper Ibberson, Cody Gent, and Logan Lux; father-in-law, Frank Mueller; sister-in-law, Diane Gent; niece, Carla (Junior) Steinbrink; great-niece, Chelsy Steinbrink; and many other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Archiebald and Lorraine Haecherl; infant son, Archie Gent; mother-in-law, Marian (Pelzel) (Gent) Mueller; father-in-law, Roderick Gent; sister and her husband, Yvonne (Robert) Eckstein; brother-in-law, Ronald Gent; and son-in-law, Josh Lauzer.
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