Robert "Bob" Dent

Robert "Bob" Dent, age 85, of Rochester, NY, passed away suddenly at home on February 13, 2026. He was predeceased by his parents and sister Kathy (Bill) Klemme. He will be dearly missed and remembered with love by his wife Gretchen (Freeland), brother Tom (Joan) Dent, cousin Dennis (Pat) McLaughlin, sister in law Jane (Bob) Ogren, children Karen (Charles) Smith and Aland (Lisa) Dent, grandchildren Molly Des Jardin, Adam (Dalice) Des Jardin , Gavin (Tiffany Tran) Dent, Dallas (Geoffrey Sttop) Coulter, Madison (Jason) Weinrich, great-grandson Brady Weinrich, and many nieces and nephews. Bob was born on September 26, 1940, in Pittsburgh, PA, to Aland and Agnes Dent. He grew up in Fayette City, PA, and graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. Bob went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Institute of Technology (Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh, PA. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi, helping to design and drive in the Spring Carnival buggy races. Bob's photograph steering the buggy in spring 1962 later appeared in National Geographic magazine, in the March 1965 issue's feature "Pittsburgh: Pattern for Progress." Bob and Gretchen married in 1961, and in 1962 they moved to California to begin a family. Bob began his engineering career there, working on the Saturn V rocket at North American Aviation. After a few years out west, Bob and Gretchen came back east and Bob landed in Rochester with a job at Kodak. He worked for Kodak's Government Systems Division for the majority of his career. His work there on Cold War spy satellites was top secret and only recently declassified. After he retired from Kodak, Bob enjoyed playing in two golf leagues every year until just recently. He also loved going to visit his family's camp in Snowshoe, PA. Bob was a true engineer who did plenty of tinkering and DIY projects after hours, earning the nicknames "Heathkit King" and "Gadget King." He also had a deep love of music - he was "a rocket scientist and a rocker" - making a record with his band "The Broughams" in high school. Bob wrote and sang "Baby You Just Wait", a song that appeared on the record, and was able to enjoy a resurgence of interest in the song when it appeared on an album of songs from that era decades later. Bob was a quiet and caring person who lived a talented and giving life, and will be missed by all who knew him. If you would like to make a donation in Bob's memory, please honor his compassion and care for animals (especially cats) by choosing a cat rescue to support. Rochester Rescues: Keller's Cat Rescue Spencerport Mr. Grey's Strays Brockport GRASP Greece

Robert "Bob" Dent

September 26, 1940 - February 13, 2026