Final Salute

Kent Alton Hirneisen (born August 14, 1926) passed away peacefully on February 3, 2022. He was 95 years old. He is survived by his dear wife of 74 years, Grace (Youndt), his loving children Neil (Janice), Dean (Jackie), Lisa Conaway (Michael) and Craig, grandchildren Natalie, Sarah (Seth), Peter (Jenny), Camille (Stephen) and Annson (Kelly), and six great-grandchildren. A lifelong resident of Gouglersville, Kent was known around town to wear a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and his favorite color, Red. He was a devout Christian and a dedicated lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Gouglersville, where for a time, he even taught Sunday School. A WWII veteran, he amassed a healthy collection of classic cars—like his 1956 Thunderbird and various Model-T’s—and was a member of Ephrata Lodge N. 665 and the Rajah Shriners Caravaners. Never missing a Friday at Green Dragon Farmer’s Market, he impressed his friends with his keen sense of smell (developed from his days as a huckster), always finding the most perfectly ripe melons. A family man above all else, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and going out on the town with his wife, Grace—especially to the Deluxe Diner, where he always ordered a slice of coconut custard pie. Kent was born the oldest son of 11 children on a farm in Brecknock Township, to parents Clair and Sarah (Grumling). As an adolescent, he worked hard through the Great Depression both on the family farm and at a silk mill in New Holland. In 1944, he was drafted into the US Navy, shipping out to the Philippines where he worked as a Seabee carpenter until 1946, when he returned home at the end of the war. It was then that he met the love of his life, Grace. Resuming work at the silk mill, he rode the trolley that ran between Reading and New Holland every day. When he first saw Grace on the trolley, he sat behind her and tried to get her attention by pulling her hair. Sooner or later, she gave him the time of day and they became infatuated with each other. Married in 1947, they spent their honeymoon in Niagara Falls. Later in life, Kent would joke that Grace made his hair fall out as payback for pulling hers. After the birth of their oldest son, Neil, in 1949, Kent began his first business as a huckster, selling produce and groceries door-to-door from his truck. The couple soon welcomed three more children into their lives: Dean, Lisa and Craig. Always the enterprising, hardworking businessman, he quickly moved up from a huckster of produce to a huckster of life insurance, becoming a licensed insurance agent through New York Life in 1959. Known for being able to make a dollar out of a penny, he expanded his business endeavors into real estate, purchasing his first of many rental properties in Shillington and Sinking Spring in the early 1960s. While Kent provided his family with a pleasant, secure, comfortable lifestyle, no task was too small or too dirty for him to complete himself. From stripping wallpaper to sanding floors to installing new plumbing, he maintained his rentals with quick attention and efficient care, sometimes bringing his children (and grandchildren) along to teach them the value of a dollar and the satisfaction of completing a hard day’s work. In their 60s, Kent and Grace travelled across the country in their RV, visiting their youngest son Craig at his home in Colorado, and taking their youngest grandchild, Annson, to Disney World. Though Kent was always extremely hardworking, he made sure to enjoy leisure time when he could. Recording home videos was always a passion of his and while his family was often camera-shy, his persistence, paired with an unusual cinematic eye, generated boxes of VHS tapes filled with precious memories from the 1950s through to the 1990s. Even in the autumn of his life, Kent never slowed down—he worked physical labor well into his 80s, from plowing snow in the dead of winter to laying stone in the heat of the summer. He never missed an opportunity to make a quick joke or spend quality time with his family and friends. And always the enterprising businessman, he kept a keen eye on local real estate opportunities up until the very end of his life. Kent was the American Dream personified. A farm boy from humble means, a WWII veteran, a successful businessman, a devout follower of God, a hardworking, deeply loving family man who proudly flourished in his hometown his entire life. With a sharp sense of humor and larger-than-life personality, he left a lasting impression on all those who knew him and will be deeply missed. The family would like to give special thanks to Aloran Castillo and Sandra Lopez for the loving care they provided for Kent at the end of his life and continue to provide for Grace. They would also like to thank the Hospice and Community Care of Lancaster. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, Gouglersville. A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran at a later date. Cremation Society of Pennsylvania is in charge of arrangements.