Passing of Trustees Chair Kent Wosepka
Montserrat College of Art is sad to announce the passing of our Board of Trustees Chair Kent Wosepka of Hamilton. Kent died Oct. 31 of injuries sustained when he and five others were hit by a car in Beaumont, Texas while riding bicycles in a cross-country trip. Two other riders were also seriously injured but are expected to recover from their injuries.
Dr. Kurt T. Steinberg, Montserrat College of Art’s president said, “We are heartbroken by the loss of our board chair and dear friend, Kent Wosepka. Kent joined the board in 2017 and was a very active member from the beginning, becoming board chair in 2020. Kent actively served on several committees for the college including chairing the investment committee, on which he helped to grow the college’s endowment and set the college up for future success. Kent endorsed and championed the improvements Montserrat has been making in our facilities and he was a very active member of the Strategic Plan Committee, which resulted in a guiding path for the college’s future.
“Kent was originally drawn to Montserrat because of the college’s reputation and he held the Montserrat community in high regard. He loved serving as a trustee and was a constant presence at every important meeting and function. He will be deeply missed and very warmly remembered.”
The following is his obituary:
Kent J. Wosepka
Kent, age 51, was born in Dickinson, North Dakota. He graduated from Jefferson Senior High School in Alexandria, Minnesota in 1988, Williams College in 1992 and the University of Chicago Business School in 1998.
Kent had an extraordinary career in finance, starting as an analyst at Jeffrey Slocum & Associates in Minneapolis and rising through the ranks to become Chief Investment Officer at Standish Mellon Asset Management in Boston and, eventually, Global Head of Corporate Credit and Co-Head of Sector Allocation at Goldman Sachs in New York.
Following his retirement from Goldman at age 46, Kent dedicated himself to the causes about which he was most passionate. He was Chairman of the Montserrat College of Art Board of Trustees and served on the Essex County Greenbelt Board. He also remained active in finance as an Adjunct Professor of Finance at Boston College.
Kent discovered his love and talent for painting in his late thirties and became an accomplished artist. His paintings include images of places on Massachusetts’ North Shore, such as Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea and Derby Wharf in Salem. His work has been displayed in galleries throughout the North Shore.
Kent was a remarkable athlete and competed in Ironmans, marathons, cycling and endurance races in multiple countries around the globe. He sought out new experiences and traveled extensively to some of the most remote places in the world. He understood that time was precious and pushed himself to take on new challenges with exuberance, humor and joy, which was inspirational to all who knew him.
In spite of all that he accomplished, however, his greatest love and devotion was for his family: his three children Jack, Rose and Connor; his life partner Betsy Pfleger; his mother, Rosalie; his siblings Jonalie Korengold (Michael) and Marc (Maureen); and his nieces and nephews, Maya, Erin and Kate Wosepka, and Gainsley and Ben Korengold. He was preceded in death by his father, John.
Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, November 11 at Campbell Funeral Home in Beverly, Massachusetts from 4:00-7:00 p.m. A service and reception is planned for November 12 at 10:00 a.m. at Danversport Yacht Club. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be directed to Montserrat College, Essex County Greenbelt, Hope for Gus or Save Chebacco Trails and Watershed.