R. Kent Greenwalt

R. Kent Greenwalt, age 86, longtime resident of Terrytown, Nebraska, passed away Sunday, May 25, 2025, at the Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Gering Civic Center in Gering, Nebraska with Pastor Craig Collins officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff. The Nebraska Army National Guard and Gering American Legion Post 36 Honor Guard will provide military honors. Friends are invited to join the family on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until service time for refreshments at the Gering Civic Center. Visitation will also take place during this time. Casual or patriotic attire is welcome. A celebration of life service will be at 1 p.m., Friday, June 20, 2025, at Trinity Methodist Church in Loveland, Colorado. In honor of the life connections that Kent valued most, memorials may be given to Pawsitive Endings (dog rescue) in Alliance, Nebraska, Trinity Methodist Church in Loveland, Colorado, Veterans Memorial Flight in Chadron, Nebraska, Masonic-Eastern Star Home for Children in Fremont, Nebraska, or Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center in Loveland, Colorado. The funeral service will be livestreamed and recorded to Kent’s obituary page viewable at www.reverencefuneralparlor.com.

Kent was born on June 17, 1938, in Montrose, Colorado to Roy and Jewell (Clark) Greenwalt. His father was a territory rep for Continental Oil Company and was transferred to the Scottsbluff-Gering area when Kent was 18 months old. Kent attended school in Scottsbluff through ninth grade. Kent was in the tenth grade when his family moved to a farm on the south edge of Gering. There he raised pigs and cattle and joined a 4-H club, showing livestock at the county fair. As a teenager, he helped with haying on a ranch in Sioux County. He graduated from Gering High School in 1957. Kent was a proud member of the Nebraska National Guard from 1956-1964.

His family purchased the Samson Hatchery in the late 1940s and renamed it Greenwalt's Feed and Farm Supply. At an early age, Kent helped care for the baby chickens. He worked after school and on Saturdays during his school years. Upon graduation, Kent became a full-time employee. In 1963, Kent's father died unexpectedly of a heart attack, and Kent became manager of the family business at the age of 25. The business provided a mobile grinding business plus feed and farm supplies to customers in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming. Kent made many friends during his years in the family business. The business closed in 1986. Kent then began working in the maintenance department at Regional West Medical Center before beginning employment at Slafter Oil in 1987, delivering fuel locally and later hauling bulk oil in Nebraska and surrounding states in his beloved semi-truck. He retired from Slafters in 2004.

He met his future wife, Beverly Martin, while her dad was a customer at the family feed store. Kent and Beverly were married at the United Methodist Church in Gering on June 19, 1960. Two children, Troy and Vicki, were born to this union.

Kent became the first elected Mayor of the City of Terrytown in 2006. He served faithfully and diligently in this capacity for twelve years, retiring in December 2018. Kent was very proud of the work that was accomplished under his guidance during his tenure as Mayor. Upon Kent's retirement from the City of Terrytown, a shelter at Terry's Lake was named in his honor.

Kent was a proud Mason and Shriner and was a Past President of the Panhandle Shrine Club. He also served on the Housing Authority Partners of Western Nebraska board, Heartland Expressway board, Emergency Management board, PADD, RC&D, Chamber of Commerce Valley Visions Committee, Government Affairs Committee, and the Governance Committee. He was an active member of the Gering United Methodist Church, serving on multiple committees through the years including the Outreach and Mission Committee. He was a member of the Patriot Guard motorcycle group, proudly riding his Honda Shadow motorcycle to escort Veterans on their way to Denver International Airport for their flight to Washington D.C. He was honored to be a participant in a Veterans Honor Flight to Washington D.C. in September 2023. Kent also served as a motorcycle escort during local funeral processions for military heroes.

Kent was appointed by both Governors' Heineman and Ricketts to serve on the Greater Nebraska Chief Elected Officials Board, with meetings held quarterly in the eastern part of Nebraska. He was a volunteer at Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering and a Salvation Army bell ringer, spending many hours each year in November and December ringing the bell at local businesses. He thoroughly enjoyed visiting with all the adults and children coming in and out of Wal-Mart while he was ringing the Salvation Army bell. He was also a past volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.

Kent served on the Scotts Bluff County Fair Board for eighteen years during the 1970s and 1980s, serving as the fair board President for eight years. He was actively involved on the tractor pull committee and rodeo committee. Kent was chosen as President of the Oregon Trail Days Half-Century Club in 2007 and President of the Oregon Trail Days Old Settlers Club in 2014. He was chosen by Nebraska Governor Heineman and Governor Ricketts as a three-time Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska. In 2017, Kent was recognized by the Scottsbluff Star-Herald as the Citizen of the Year. Kent's accolades also included being named the 2018 Trailblazer by the Scottsbluff/Gering United Chamber of Commerce. He was presented the award at the Chamber of Commerce banquet in January 2019.

Kent was an animal lover throughout his life and enjoyed feeding the Canada geese and ducks at Terry's lake, especially enjoying the baby goslings that were born each year. He also liked feeding the neighborhood birds, rabbits, squirrels, and cats daily. Although Kent and Beverly had no grandchildren, they had many “grand-animals” which Kent dearly loved interacting with.

Kent enjoyed classic cars and was the proud owner of a 1932 Chevy that his mother won in a raffle in 1932 in Denver, as well as a 1957 Chevy Belair. He belonged to the Rollin Oldies car club and enjoyed monthly outings with them and their annual trip to South Dakota each August. He loved riding his Honda Shadow motorcycle with his friends. He enjoyed watching Nebraska football and volleyball, drag racing (which he participated in during his younger years) and NASCAR. He enjoyed camping and fishing with his wife and children in their younger years, as well as hunting with his son. He always looked forward to his three-times-a -day McDonald's and Arby's coffee breaks with friends where he could keep up on the latest "news".

Kent will always be known for his honesty, generosity, loyalty, patriotism, and love of animals, as well as always being available to lend a helping hand, a listening ear, monetary help, or serving on a committee.

Kent is survived by daughter, Vicki (Randy) Burbach; son, Troy Greenwalt; brother, Dennis Greenwalt; sister-in-law, Judy Spreier; along with cousins, nieces, nephews, and a host of friends and extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents; infant sister, Sidney; grandparents; beloved wife, Beverly, in 2023; extended family and many dear friends.