Kenton F. Tharp

ORANGE- Kenton Franklin Tharp, age 76, died    May 6    at his home in Orange, MA.  He was born in Grant, Nebraska to Charles and Gladys (Kent) Tharp. He worked with his father to custom bale hay and with his mother and sisters in the family business Tharp Drive-In.   His Nebraska roots remained central to him his entire life.

He attended University of Nebraska in Carney taking leave to join VISTA.  When his draft notice came he enlisted in the army to avoid combat service in Vietnam.  After serving in Germany he was honorably discharged as a Conscientious Objector.  Kenton was a peace and social justice activist his entire life engaging in acts of civil disobedience

He relocated to Massachusetts to complete his education receiving a BA from Goddard College and a Masters in Education from University of Massachusetts in Amherst.  Kenton worked at the Rowe Camp and conference Center where he met and later married Diane Westfall.  They founded the Sand Hill School in Amherst, MA and raised four daughters 

He was active in local and national politics and served on the town council in Amherst, MA.   He was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst.   Kenton retired from his position as Chief Engineer at the Hampton Inn in Hadley, MA

Kenton will be remembered for his kind and loving spirit.  Always gracious and considerate even during a prolonged illness, his smile never left his face.  He loved his extended family visiting Nebraska and Colorado regularly.  Kenton maintained a wide network of friends throughout the country.

Besides his parents, Kenton was predeceased by his first wife Diane Westfall, his daughter Kathryn Westfall Tharp and grandson Mosie Valdez.

Kenton is survived by his wife Bonnie Frank, sisters DeeAnn Dubbert (Riley), DeeEtta Long, Charlene Cromwell (John), cousin Michael Leahy (Sandra), son in law Eugene Mirman (Therese Plaehn Mirman), step children Jenifer Weaver( David Coombs), Megan Weaver ( Lance Wondowski) Ahna Sadowski (Jay), Priscilla Valdez (Emily Joseph), John Hume and grandchildren Ruby Weaver Hall, Shelby Cranston Weaver, Oliver Mirman, Kaelyn Valdez, Vincent Valdez and Sterling Hume.

Kenton has donated his body to Mass General Hospital for research on Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy.

A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst, 121 N Pleasant St, Amherst, MA on  June 14 at 1pm.

In recognition of his commitment to social justice please donate to:

American  Civil Liberties Union, P.O. Box 96266, Washington, DC 20077-7486

Witty’s Funeral Home, 158 South Main Street, Orange, is assisting the family.

WWW.WITTYFUNERALHOME.COM

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