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Oldest living alumna dies aged 108
22 February 2008
Avondale College's oldest living alumna has died this past week aged 108.
Laura (Petersen) Kent died in her sleep at Avondale Retirement Village's Charles Harrison Memorial Home in Cooranbong on Sunday (February 17). A memorial service will be held at Avondale Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church this Sunday (February 24) at 11 am.
The first black marble plaque in the college's Alumni Heritage Walk outside Bethel Hall bears Laura's name. At the launch of the walk in 1999, and in the presence of four family generations, Laura rose to her feet and in a strong, resonant voice gave testimony to the value of Avondale for her family and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Laura's birthday, May 14, 1899, came only two years after the building of Bethel. She graduated from Avondale in 1920, the year of her engagement to Thomas Kent, whom she met at the college. The two married in the then Avondale Village Seventh-day Adventist Church on February 7 the next year.
Laura is survived by three of her children--Ray, Tom and Glenda--16 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren and five great, great grandsons.
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