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Garry E. Lent Alumni Collection, 1949-1953

 

Summary

Creator:
Lent, Garry E.
Extent:
1.77 Linear Feet 1 Five Inch Standard Legal Document Box and 1 16x20 Flat Box
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The materials in this collection reflect the creator's career as a student at Florida Southern College in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The creator was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, and the collection includes news articles, photos, and ephemera related to this organization. There are materials related to intramural and intrafraternity softball games. The collection also includes general items related to a student's life at college, such as a student directory, student body group ohoto, and brochures.

Biographical / historical:

Garry E. Lent was born on August 26, 1931 in Cornwall, NY to Elmer and Mildred Garrison Lent. He was a graduate of the class of 1949 of Highland Falls High School. He was greatly influenced by Professor James I. O'Neill's saying, "Work is Heaven's Best Gift to Mankind" and reminded his family of this motto throughout his life. During his youth he participated in a variety of sports including ski jumping which he competed in at the club level across the east coast.

His skis are now displayed in the National Ski Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, MI.

He was a proud graduate of Florida Southern College, earning a B.S degree in business administration. Garry served on active duty with the United States Army for two years following graduation and during this time became the first president of the Ft. Lewis Ski Club in Tacoma, WA. After earning an honorable discharge he briefly worked for Ford Motor Company as a personnel clerk. He retired as personnel manager from Tarkett, Inc. in 1989 after 32 years of service.

Garry served the Town of Highlands as Town Justice for 22 years before retiring in 1995. During his time on the bench he was the first to wear a robe in the Highland Falls court, started a system of no plea bargaining after a pre-trial conference, would not allow third party requests, and maintained a philosophy of treating all defendants "fairly but firmly". He often told defendants in conference that he did not expect to see them again in court and was happy when former defendants would wave hello or knock on his office window and smile. His courtroom stories could easily fill a book. One defendant charged with DWI pleaded that his swerving was just trying to miss the potholes. Another defendant pleaded that she sped past the school bus on 9W outside the former Carvel store because she thought the bus was just letting the kids out for ice cream! After retiring as justice, Garry served as Town Supervisor from 1998-2000. His theme as Town Supervisor was, "One Town, One Community", as he focused on collaboration with Bear Mountain State Park and West Point officials for the greater benefit of the Town of Highlands.

In addition to his public service, Garry was involved in many community civic groups and served as a volunteer and past president of the Fort Montgomery Fire Department. He was also a past vice-chairman of the Town of Highlands Planning Board and member of the West Point Lodge of F&AM. As a descendant of Issac Garrison, a Revolutionary War soldier who participated in the Battle of Fort Montgomery, Garry was passionate about celebrating the patriotic efforts of the local citizen soldiers, and during his retirement became the founding president of the Fort Montgomery Battlesite Association.

Information provided by obituary via William F. Hogan Funeral Home

Acquisition information:
Materials were donated to the college by Doris Lent in August 2014.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Researchers must contact McKay Archives in advance for access to unprocessed born digital materials in this collection. Collection restrictions, copyright limitations, or technical complications may hinder the archive's ability to provide access to unprocessed born digital materials.

Terms of access:

The Garry E. Lent Alumni Collection is owned by Florida Southern College. This collection is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Please inquire if you have questions - archives@flsouthern.edu

Location of this collection:
Florida Southern College
111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr.
Lakeland
FL
33801
USA