The Tri-County News, Gentry  County  Missouri,  Friday,  August  29,  2003:

Jewell Kent, 96, Stanberry, died Aug. 23, 2003, at Northwest Medical Center
in Albany.

Jewell Delores Groomer, was born on April 14, 1907; the daughter  of  Claud
and Gertrude Groomer  of  Pattonsburg.  Jewell  had  three  sisters,  Opal,
Mildred, Ruby and Wanda and one brother, Bill.

When she was 16 years old the  family  moved  to  Stanberry,  where  Jewell
graduated from high school in 1925.

Jewell married William (Bill) Ballard, also of Stanberry.

Mrs. Ballard was a homemaker until the time of her husband's death in 1946.
She was subsequently employed as a bookkeeper by the J. C.  Penney  Co.  in
Stanberry and later  in  St.  Joseph.  She  owned  and  operated  Ballard's
Clothing Store in Maysville from 1963 to 1980. She married Kenneth Kent  of
Albany in 1982. She returned to Stanberry in 1992 where she lived until the
time of her death.

Jewell was a member of the First Baptist Church in Stanberry and  was  also
an avid bridge player.

Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Forrest and  Beverly  Ballard,
Stanberry; a grandson, Bill Ballard, Stanberry;  three  granddaughters  and
spouses, Kimberly and Larry Klingensmith, McAllen, TX.; Kae and Al  Pilate,
Aurora, CO.;  Barbara  Ballard,  Mission,  TX.;  four  great-grandchildren,
Nicolas, Karly, Evan and JoBeth; one brother and  sister-in-law,  Bill  and
Lela Groomer, Stanberry; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services are being held today,  Aug.  29,  at  the  Roberson-Polley
Chapel in Stanberry at 1:00  p.m.  with  burial  in  High  Ridge  Cemetery,
Stanberry. Memorial contributions may be given to Pine View  Manor  or  the
Stanberry Senior Center.