Eric Michael Jent of Sparta passed away on Friday, April 5, 2024. He was 58.
Eric’s family is incredibly saddened by his sudden passing but couldn’t be more thankful for the time they had with an incredible husband, father, friend, brother and Pop-Pop.
Eric, born in Detroit, was raised in Sparta, where he moved in 1975 with his parents, Patricia and Arnold, and brothers, Tim and Chris (later joined by his younger sister, Meghan).
He was a vibrant part of the Sparta community from a young age. He was a standout varsity athlete in three sports: football, baseball and basketball, his favorite. On paper, Eric might appear as a typical athlete, but his spirit was much more special than one descriptor.
His uniqueness spanned as a passionate fan of music, life of the party, loyal friend, brother and curious student.
His athletic talents brought him numerous accolades and a basketball scholarship to Colgate University after graduating Sparta High School in 1984. But if you were to ask him his greatest achievement in high school, it was meeting and ultimately starting a family with his wife and best friend, Tracy.
Basketball brought Eric to Colgate University, but his time spent there proved to be some of his most formative years. He wore an impressive number of hats at Colgate as a student-athlete, co-captain of the men’s basketball team, fraternity brother, husband (after marrying the love of his life, Tracy, his junior year) and lastly a father after welcoming his twin daughters, Courtney and Elizabeth. He closed out his time at Colgate accepting his diploma with twin daughters in hand and a standing ovation from the graduation crowd.
Eric applied the same focus, positivity and energy to his next steps in life, building both his career and family. He was lucky enough to find a career that he was passionate about in the mattress and furniture industry. Starting with Simmons in 1988, he built a reputation as one of the most respected in his field and admired for his positivity, trustworthiness and leadership.
His most recent position as the chief commercial officer at Sinomax USA was the culmination of his years of hard work. The self-proclaimed “King of Mattresses” will be dearly missed by his vast network of colleagues, including his son Mitchell and daughter Elizabeth whom he mentored in the industry years ago.
In 2001, Eric was lucky enough to return to hometown of Sparta to raise his growing family that now included his son Mitchell and daughter Maggie. His passion for sports evolved into a passion for coaching. He loved coaching all his children’s teams and his coaching is notorious across generations of Sussex County referees.
Eric loved many things in life, but his favorite times were spent vacationing with Tracy and his extended family and friends in Wellfleet, Mass. It was a tradition that started with his siblings growing up that he continued with his family. He was excited for the summers to come, sharing this special place with his first grandchild, Theo, whom he loved so much.
It’s hard to articulate who Eric was in so little words but he will be deeply missed by everyone who loved him.
He is survived by his loving wife, Tracy (Place) Jent; his children, Courtney Soloperto (Andrew), Elizabeth Jent, Mitchell Jent and Margaret Jent; his mother, Patricia Jent; his brothers, Timothy Jent (Mihwa) and Christopher Jent (Alice); his sister, Meghan Stampfle (Mark); his grandson, Theo Soloperto; and his brother-in-law, John Place (Sharon).
Eric was predeceased by his father, Arnold Jent.
A viewing will be held Saturday, April 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Goble Funeral Home, 22 Main St., Sparta. A Celebration of Life will immediately follow from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Lake Mohawk Golf Club, 471 West Shore Trail, Sparta.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Eric’s memory to Dream Big!, a nonprofit organization helping girls and young women from low-income situations participate in sports and physical activities. A dear friend of the Jent family founded this organization, and Eric admired the work that she and Dream Big have done in the women’s sports community. Donation link: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1436189