Clara M. Kent, age 90 of Brooten, died Monday, December 19, 2016 at the Belgrade Nursing Home.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, January 14 ^th at St. Donatus Catholic Church in Brooten with Father Peter Kirchner officiating.  Visitation will be Friday, January 13 ^th from 6:00 -8:00 P.M. at St. Donatus Catholic Church and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.  Internment will take place at a later date at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Sedan.  Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten.

Clara Mae Kent, the second child of John and Lucille (Chevalier) Chamberlain was born August 23, 1926 in Tintah, Minnesota. Clara's mother died of an acute appendicitis when she was thirteen years old and she and her siblings went to live with relatives in Clontarf.  She graduated from Benson High School and went on to further her education joining the Army Nurse Cadet Corps, training at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul. She had to leave her training shortly before graduation to care for ailing relatives.

On February 20, 1950, Clara was united in marriage to Robert "Duke" Kent at St. Malachy's Church in Clontarf, MN. Shortly after their marriage they moved to a farm near Brooten. They ran a dairy farm and continued to live there until their retirement in 2003. Clara was employed at Project New Hope in Alexandria, MN for 15 years.  She was a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Sedan and then St. Donatus Catholic Church in Brooten where she was a member of the Christian Mothers.  She was a wonderful baker and will be remembered for her sour cream twists, her boundless optimism, her beautiful smile, her huge heart and her love for God and her family.

Clara is survived by her husband of 66 years, Robert "Duke" Kent of Brooten; children: Patricia Kent of St. Paul, MN, Jim (Michelle) Kent of Brooten, Jane (David) Eastling of Rancho Mirage, CA, Mary Kent of Alexandria, Joni Hughes of Phoenix, AZ, Kara (Mark) Kirckof of Brooten and Margaret Kent of Brooten; 16 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; brother, James Chamberlain of Otsego, MN; nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Michael Kent; and brothers, Glen, Milan and Robert Chamberlain and son in law Dru Hughes.