Robert Thompson Trent - Spry Funeral Home

On Thursday morning, February 6, 2025, to the sound of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, Robert Thompson Trent took his last earthly breath peacefully at home and was immediately welcomed into heaven.  Upon arrival, he probably told a joke.  Congestive heart failure lost!  Heaven won!

Robert Trent was born in Boaz, AL to Earle and Marie Trent on October 5, 1936, making him 88 years old when he died.  He was a son of a preacher man.  Robert graduated from Roanoke High School, then Samford University.  There he met and married his wife, Annette.  Their romance lasted almost 68 years.

After graduating from Samford, Robert attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, pursuing graduate degrees in chemistry and biology.  He became a research chemist for Reynolds Metals in Sheffield, AL, and later in Richmond, VA.  There he fell in love with computers, and became a systems engineer for IBM in Huntsville, AL.  He chose to live in Athens to be close to family and lived there happily until his death.

It is impossible to put into words just how special Robert was to everyone who knew him.  Robert possessed a ‘wisdom gene’, a unique, unwavering sense of humor, and a keen intellect.  His bookshelves featured classics, poetry, joke books, religious books, chemistry books, math books, and more and more computer books.  What kind of man for fun would read The History of Pi or Principia Mathematica? Robert!  He readily quoted long poems, stories, jokes, famous quotes, and bible verses from memory.  He was musical, sang in choirs, the shower, and his car.  He enjoyed playing piano and listening to great music.  Late in life he picked up classical guitar.  He and his son blew harmonicas so badly that Robert’s dachshund once left the room.

Above all, Robert loved God, his family, his friends, his church, and his country. He loved others more than himself and was deeply loved in return.  A long-time member of First Baptist Church, he was voted Deacon Emeritus by the deacon board. He served as chairman of the deacons a number of times.  He taught men’s Sunday School at First Baptist.  Along with his wife, he was involved in deaf ministries in Richmond and Athens.  He studied his Bible and listened to godly preachers daily.

Robert is survived by his wife, Annette, children Beth Trent and Steve Trent (Diana), granddaughter Chloe Merrell (Chris), great-granddaughter Aurora Merrell, and a number of nieces and nephews

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Earle and Marie Trent, his sister, Patricia Scofield, his brother Jere Trent.

                                                               

Funeral service will be held 2 PM Monday February 10, at Spry Funeral Home in Athens, AL, with Tee Jackson, John Crocker, and Joe Teal officiating.  Private burial for family to follow service at Roselawn Cemetery in Athens.

Visitation is from noon until 2 PM immediately preceding the service.

Pallbearers are Van Trent, Joel Glaze, Bobby Austin, Billy McClain, Greg McAllister and Nick Allen.

Honorary pallbearers are deacons from First Baptist Church.