Don Kent (meteorologist)
{{Short description|American meteorologist (1917–2010)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Don Kent
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1917|9|29}}
| birth_place = Dorchester, Massachusetts, US
| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|03|02|1917|9|29}}
| death_place = Franklin, New Hampshire, US
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation = Meteorologist
}}
Donald Edward Kent (September 29, 1917 – March 2, 2010) was an American radio and television weather forecaster for several decades in the Boston, Massachusetts area. He was known as "Boston's first TV Weatherman."{{cite web |url=http://www.ericpinder.com/html/donkent.html |title=Don Kent Interview : Boston's First TV Weatherman |last=Pinder |first=Eric |author2=Long, Sara |year=2003 |accessdate=March 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308071314/http://www.ericpinder.com/html/donkent.html |archivedate=March 8, 2010 }}
Early life
Kent was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and was raised in the Wollaston section of Quincy. He graduated from North Quincy High School and attended MIT.{{cite news|title=Don Kent, Hub’s ‘first weatherman,’ dead at 92|author=Colneth Smiley Jr.|newspaper=Boston Herald|date=March 2, 2010|url=http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20100302don_kent_hubs_first_weatherman_dead_at_92/|accessdate=March 3, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613035419/http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20100302don_kent_hubs_first_weatherman_dead_at_92/|archivedate=June 13, 2011}}
Career
Kent started doing weather forecasts on radio and TV in the Boston area in 1937. He developed and applied his weather forecasting skills while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II era, where he achieved the rank of chief petty officer. After the war and for many years, he appeared on WBZ (AM) radio and WBZ-TV.{{cite news| url=http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2010/03/03/don_kent_dean_of_area_weather_broadcasters_at_92/ | work=The Boston Globe | title=Don Kent, dean of area weather broadcasters, at 92 | first=Bryan | last=Marquard | date=March 3, 2010}}
After retiring from WBZ in 1983, Kent started a new career as the weather forecaster for Cape Cod radio station WQRC. He would compile reports from his home in Sanbornton, New Hampshire.{{cite news |title=Boston TV’s first weatherman, Don Kent, dies|author=Allison Manning|newspaper=The Patriot Ledger|date=March 3, 2010|url=http://www.patriotledger.com/news/x699612312/Boston-TV-s-first-weatherman-Don-Kent-dies|accessdate=March 4, 2010}}
Death
Don Kent died in the early morning hours of March 2, 2010 of natural causes at Franklin Regional Hospital in Franklin, New Hampshire, at age 92.{{cite web|url=http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/22714201/detail.html|title=Iconic Boston Weatherman Dies|date=March 2, 2010|publisher=WCVB-TV|accessdate=March 3, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304054815/http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/22714201/detail.html|archivedate=March 4, 2010}}
Awards and honors
Kent is one of the first to be inducted to the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame, along with Rex Trailer, Jess Cain, Frank Avruch (Bozo the Clown to Boston television audiences) and Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding (Bob and Ray).{{cite news| url=http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2007/05/18/local_broadcasting_legends_honored/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Living+%2F+Arts+News | work=The Boston Globe | title=Local broadcasting legends honored | date=May 18, 2007 | first1=Clea | last1=Simon}}
Bibliography
- "Great New England Storms of the Twentieth Century" (Contributor) Boston: The Boston Globe, 2007 {{ISBN|0-9790137-2-0}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100308071314/http://www.ericpinder.com/html/donkent.html 2003 interview by Sara Long and Eric Pinder]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071228224809/http://wbztv.com/weatherfeatures/Boston.Globe.Great.2.607878.html Review of "Great New England Storms" book that he contributed to]
- [http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/03/don_kent_wbz-tv.html Don Kent, 92; WBZ-TV weatherman whose gimmick was credibility]
- {{findagrave|107886811}}
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Category:American television weather presenters
Category:Television anchors from Boston
Category:People from Quincy, Massachusetts
Category:United States Coast Guard non-commissioned officers