Posted September 25, 2017

The text came in today while I was on the way to the airport: Mark Kent passed away.

Wait, what? No way. Please no, I thought. OMG.

Unfortunately, I quickly confirmed that terrible news with a phone call and was completely shocked, saddened, sullen, subdued, shaken – and hardly ready to board an airplane to head to a textile show.

Kent, CEO of Greenville, S.C.-based KENTWOOL, was my age and full of life, so how could that be possible? With life, of course, anything is possible. But not Mark Kent. Not now. He had too much left to give this world and this great U.S. textile industry that he loved so much.

As you know, the ink had not even fully dried on the announcement that the industry had lost another industry giant, Rob Chapman, last month. Kent even sent me a tribute to the longtime Inman Mills’ leader, words that eerily resonate tonight. Kent wrote:

“I got to know Rob through our association within the textile industry and our hobby of golf. Much will be said about Rob’s love of family, Spartanburg, community, textiles, golf and America. However, I will always remember Rob most for his love of people. Rob had a genuine caring for people and moreover, he always seemed to care about YOU!

“Shortly after my father died, Rob invited me to attend an event in Linville, N.C. He wanted me to stay at his house with a group of textile friends. When I arrived, I was surprised to find the group of people was only he and I. Rob had lost his father earlier and wanted to spend time with me to see if I was OK. He asked me if there was anything he could do or any way he could help.

“We spent the day on the golf course and the night in the house. We laughed and cried a lot. It was wonderful and a debt I will never be able to repay. I will miss his smile, quick wit, laughter and friendship, but most of all, I will miss his caring soul.”

Wow. We really never know, do we?

I can honestly say the same about Mark Kent. He was equally compassionate, caring and concerned about anyone with whom he came in contact. I will miss his million-dollar smile, positivity and passion for the textile industry.

Let me share a quick story about Kent. He was in line to be the next president of the American Yarn Spinners Association (AYSA) in 1999 when I was editor of Southern Textile News. I didn’t know him well then, but I was enamored of his name: Mark Kent. Hmm … almost like Clark Kent, right? So I demurely asked him, then a young leader of his fifth-generation company, if he would be willing to put on a Superman T-shirt underneath his suit and appear to be “breaking out” of it for a photo, which would be transformed into a cartoon character cover for the trade publication. “Getting” the humor in the concept, he eagerly agreed.

And that was Mark. Full of good nature and whimsy. That’s what I’ve always liked about him. How could you not like someone who greeted you with a grin and tinge of mischief? And he was always that way, it seemed, 24/7.

When you met Mark, you never felt that there was anything behind a façade. Mark was Mark, with no airs, no pretentiousness. He loved being around people and loved life, regardless of your station in life. He was a rare specimen, never one to wear his emotions on his sleeve. Always upbeat, always personable.

You'll read more about Mark in the coming days, about how he and his team developed “the world’s best golf sock,” but know there was a genuine man behind that Superman cape. He was a true gentleman and leader of our great textile industry, and I’m not mincing words. Mark Kent will be truly missed.