Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Huntsberry Bent October 17, 1919 - June 09, 2018

Mary Elizabeth Huntsberry Bent, age 98, died June 9, 2018 at Meyer Care Center in Higginsville, Missouri. Liz was the daughter of James and Grace (Richardson) Huntsberry and was born at home on the family farm near Clarence, Missouri on October 17, 1919. She was the youngest of three, with an older brother Howard and an older sister Dorothy. She spent her first twelve years on the farm, often riding her pony “Tony” who had a habit of getting several miles from home and then bucking her off because he wanted to go home. She was very close to her mother andspent so much time with her father that people called her “Little Jim”. She attended Clarence Elementary School and in high schoolwas on the basketball team and played trumpet in the school band. Basketball games were often played on outside courts and in 1936, the band traveled to Jefferson City to play for President Roosevelt. She graduated from Clarence High School in 1937, and then attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in 1941. While at the University, she was a member of Alpha Phi sorority and served as president her senior year. She was also a member of Junior 5 Phi Beta Kappa, a member of Mortar Board, a Senior Honorary Society for Women, a member of Gamma Alpha Chi National Advertising Sorority and was also tapped to be a member of L.S.V, a National HonorarySociety for women that reflectedscholastic achievement and service to the University. As a Journalism major, she served on the staff of the Missouri Student, the university newspaper,and ShowMe Magazine. After graduation, she went to work for IBM in St. Louis, where she provided training and expertise to companies acquiring the first computers. She always said it was the best job anyone could ever have, and she enjoyed every minute of it.

On August 9, 1947 she married Franklin Newell Bent at the Church of St. Michael and St. George in Clayton, Missouri. They moved to New Brunswick New Jersey where he worked for Hercules at its Parlin plant. In 1951, he was transferred to a Hercules plant in Lancaster, England and the family moved overseas. Rationing was still in effect, and everyone looked forward to “care packages” sent from home. They moved back to the States in 1953, living in Westfield, New Jersey from 1953 to 1958, when they moved in quick succession to Harbor Beach, Michigan, Midland, Michigan and Wilmington Delaware. In 1960 they moved back to Westfield, where they lived for the next seven years.In 1967, Mr. Bent was transferred to Wilmington DE and the family moved again. Wherever they lived, Liz was very involved in her children’s school activities and was a strong advocate for education. Since November of 2014, she had resided in Sedalia, Missouri with her daughter Jan.She was an avid reader, loved history, and had strong political opinions which reflected her love for this country and her belief in its core values.Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren called her “Pal”, and she truly was that, always there for you, cheering you on, with a fierce optimism that made you believe everything would work out.

She is survived by three children: Liz Blackburn and husband Robert of Houstonia, MO; Emily Susan Bent of Columbia, MO; Jan Bent of Sedalia, MO and Peter Bent and wife Cindy of Newark, DE. In addition, she is survived by three grandchildren: Dan Blackburn (Kim) of Higginsville, MO; Jesse Blackburn of Portland, OR and Suzanne Meyer (Dustin) of Houstonia, MO and eight great-grandchildren: Proffitt, Frank, Sam, Val, Gabby, Harper, Hayden and Jaclyn.Nieces Patti O’Keefe of Fenton, MI and Alice Thiede of Hudson, WI and nephew Bill O’Keefe, Jr. of Kewnesa, GA also survive.

Arrangements are under the direction of Greening Eagan Hayes Funeral home. Private graveside services will be held Thursday, June 14 at 11:00, with internment at Maplewood Cemetery, Clarence. Memorial contributions may be made to the School of Journalism, University of Missouri-Columbia.