Kent Lester Dove, formerly of Lander, WY, died unexpectedly on March 11, 2024 in Cheyenne, WY. Born on May 4, 1949, in Fort Collins, CO to Kenneth and Beth Dove (Winslow), Kent lived a full and extraordinary life. He is survived by Shelly Dove (daughter with ex-wife, Lydia Shelley) and Shauna Davis (daughter with ex-wife, Joyce Newberry). He was predeceased by his parents and sister, Kathi Dove.
Kent grew up working the land, appreciating the outdoors, competing in numerous sports (wrestling, baseball, track & field, bowling, and football), listening to 60s rock and country songs, and entertaining almost any person that crossed his path. Some of his lifelong hobbies included wearing orange in fall (hunting & cheering for the Denver Broncos), exploring his family’s property in northwest Colorado, cooking exotic meals, and harvesting the bountiful crops he spent months cultivating.
Kent also had an eclectic job career such as a statewide Colorado union ironworker, landscaper in Craig, youth director of a Boys & Girls club, gorilla, welder, house builder, peach and tomato picker on Colorado’s western slope, commercial construction worker, and chief financial officer of his family owned home for people with developmental disabilities like his beloved sister.
He was a long-time member of the Masonic Fraternity, rising in ranks over the years and becoming a Master Mason in the mid-80s. Through his Masonic history, he was highly involved and cherished the people he interacted with in the numerous roles he held.
His athleticism led to years competing and loving sports. He attended Loveland HS in Loveland, CO and Arapahoe HS in Littleton, CO. At Arapahoe, Kent was a defensive lineman in football, shot put thrower on the track & field team, played baseball, and most notably was their first State Champion Wrestler in the 180 lbs. weight division. This last achievement would lead to the opportunity to attend several colleges in Colorado, California, and Wyoming but held the greatest pride in going to Biola University in CA and University of Wyoming.
Thanks to Kent’s father, he met Lydia Shelley in Loveland, CO in the late 70s. Their daughter, Shelly Dove, was born in 1979. Kent and Lydia were together 40+ years before their roads went separate ways. Shelly was a daddy’s girl and loved going on all the adventures he took her on. Over Shelly’s 45 years, Kent taught his daughter how to be altruistic, cook, hunt, make concrete, be compassionate, weld, build a house, and entertain the people around her. Appreciative to receive a piece of her dad’s passions, Shelly would excel in sports from youth to adulthood and her careers would also center around caring and helping others.
The hearts Kent has touched in his lifetime will be forever proof of his legacy.
Cremation has taken place, as he requested, there will be no services. Please do not send flowers, but instead tell a personal story about Kent (add a photo of him if you have it), donate to your favorite charity (Special Olympics was his favorite), or simply help someone in need to honor him.