John "Jack" Trent

May 15, 1943 -

Feb 14, 2024

Mr. John "Jack" Nelson Trent, 80, died on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, from an illness at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. John died on Valentine's Day so he could be with his sweetheart of 55 years, Gerda Trent.

A memorial service will be held at St. Mary's Episcopal Church on April 7, 2024, at 2 p.m., in Anchorage. Another memorial service will be held at Christ Lutheran Church on June 2, 2024, at 3 p.m. in Soldotna, Alaska.

He was born on May 15, 1943, in Long Beach, Calif., the oldest of four children to Miriam and John P. Trent. They moved to Kodiak, Alaska, in the 1950s. In Kodiak he joined the Boy Scouts of America and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. This had a great impact on him throughout his life, cementing his commitment to furthering his education.

John graduated from high school in Kodiak and then went on to the University of Alaska Fairbanks obtaining a Bachelor of Science in wildlife management. It was during his college years that he met the love of his life Gerda. They married and lived in Ester and Fairbanks, Alaska, for several years where they had two children: son lan and daughter Stefanie. His family was always his top priority in life.

During this time John had many different jobs. He worked as a laborer, fisheries and wildlife technician, park ranger, botanist, ornithologist and even a forester in Germany. In 1969, he went to work for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Fairbanks as a public outreach specialist. After five years there they moved to Madison, Wis., to continue his education where he obtained a Master of Science in agricultural journalism and a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After Madison, he again worked for the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game throughout his career in Fairbanks, Utqiagvik and Anchorage. John was hired as an Area Biologist with Fish and Game in Utqiagvik. John considered his time there as one of the most enjoyable periods of his career, a time when he and Gerda made many lifelong friends and where he truly fit in.

In the late 1980s, he moved with the family to Anchorage, where he retired from Fish and Game. Then he joined the Fish and Wildlife Service as a biologist working with walrus. He then retired a second time.

After retirement, John and Gerda designed and built their dream home in Kenai, Alaska. They spent many happy years living there. John loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing and canoeing. He had many hobbies and interests, such as traveling. One of the biggest was being a birder. He traveled to Costa Rica and Peru to look for birds.

He was an avid gardener, growing tomato plants, vegetables and orchids. John loved writing and reading history books. He also loved spending time with his family and having adventures with them.

John was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Connie; and wife, Gerda.

He is survived by his son, lan Trent (Mariann); daughter, Stefanie Trent; brother, Goodwin Trent (Deborah); sister, Margaret David; granddaughter, Kristin Roy (Jordan); nieces and nephews; great-grandchildren; and the extended Waldron family.

Donations can be made to Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges, The Wildlife Society and the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank.