Gene C Trent

Gene Chastene Trent, of Accomac, Virginia, went to be with the Lord on September 3, 2013 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. He was born October 31, 1938 in Parksley, Virginia to the late Edward and Undine Trent.

He attended Accomack County Public Schools and graduated from Mary N. Smith High School in 1956. Afterwards, he attended North Carolina A&T State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1960. He returned to his home on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and taught for two years in Accomack County Public Schools. He then volunteered to serve in the United States Army.

After an honorable discharge from the United States Army in 1964, Gene returned to Accomack County to resume his career in education and remained in the Army Reserves until 1968. He was an elementary school teacher at South Accomack Elementary School and later a guidance counselor at North Accomack Elementary School. While teaching at South Accomack Elementary School, he met the love of his life, Agnes Williams, and they married in 1968. From that union two children were born, Brian and Cheryl.

Gene was an ardent proponent of education, earning a master’s degree in counseling from North Carolina A&T State University in 1973. He was a National Certified Counselor of the American Counselors’ Association. For over thirty years, he was an assistant professor and academic counselor at the Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa, Virginia, where he taught student development and counseled and advised thousands of students with compassion. He served as president of the Accomack Education Association, the Accomack Counselors’ Association, and the Mary N. Smith Middle School Parent Teacher Association.

Prior to his retirement from the Eastern Shore Community College in 2000, Gene was an active member of the Eastern Shore community. He served as a member of the board of directors for the Accomack and Northampton Electric Company, Shore Life Care, and the Eastern Shore Family YMCA. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the North Carolina A&T Alumni Association.

Gene was a faithful servant of the Lord and was a lifelong member of his family’s church, Adams United Methodist Church, in Parksley, Virginia, where he served on the board of trustees and sang in the Men’s Choir. He was often called upon to mentor incoming ministers and welcome new members to the church family. Having raised his children as the third generation of Trent’s to worship at Adams, Gene cherished his family and church congregation. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers: Leslie, Graham, and Henry.

Gene is survived by his wife, Agnes; son Brian (Monica) Trent; daughter Cheryl (Quincy) Stokes; siblings Edward (Drucilla) Trent, Faith (Osa) Obasogie, Vera (Larry) Hexstall, and Barry Trent; sisters-in-law Vivian Trent, Eula Trent, Florine Trent, Junetta Turnage, and Pamela Williams and Linda Williams; brothers-in-law David Williams and James Williams; grandsons Justin and Nicholas Trent; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.