Thomas Kent Mannee was born on July 19, 1944, in Colusa CA. Kent passed away peacefully at home in Woodland CA on December 24, 2023, with his loving wife Dena and their family by his side.
He took pride in being a hard worker, even as a young boy of 10, making jewelry and selling it door to door.
In 1962, he graduated from Colusa High where he excelled both academically and athletically. He ran track and also played Football, Basketball and Baseball.
In 1975, he started college at UC Davis, impressively graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Plant Science, in only 3 years. He was VP for DFA of California, an Association of Dried Fruit and Tree Nut Processors for 26 years. He would laughingly say, “I work with the fruits and nuts”
Throughout his life he had a passion for hunting and fishing, as well as spending time with his family at his cabin at Bucks Lake, where he would never tire of taking his kids and grandkids out boating.
Kent was a loving husband, proud father and grandfather and he will always be remembered for his generous nature and his unwavering sense of humor.
He will be loved and missed by his wife of 53 years Dena (Nedeene Fusaro), his daughter Christina Penniman, her children Alex and Olivia; daughter Tamara Cartagena (Robert) and their children Kyra and Reece; his son Ryan Mannee (Patricia) and their
daughters Mia and Aryana.
He is also survived by his step-siblings Donna DeVries, Deborah Moore and Scott Hefner.
He is preceded in death by his parents Leonard Mannee and Lucille Hefner as well as his step-father Donald R. Hefner, his bother Keith and step-brother Lynn. No services are planned at this time.