Mindy Kent

Mindy Lee Casarez Kent, passed away on June 20, 2022 after a hard-fought battle with breast cancer. She was 41 years young and had a beautiful life lived with purpose. Mindy was born on July 2, 1980 to her parents Paul Casarez and Laurel Schuck in Hanford, CA. As a child, Mindy was outgoing and personable with a big smile - a real show stopper. She was also very smart, which you could tell from an early age. Mindy had an awesome sense of humor. As a toddler Mindy earned the nickname Silly Goose from her Aunt Sandee who Mindy laughed and giggled with often, and this nickname stuck into Mindy's adulthood. Mindy was also loving and accepting of most everyone she came across. Mindy absolutely adored her mom and she struggled through the loss of her mom at age 4. As she grew up, Mindy became a strong, assertive, self reliant and decisive young lady. At the same time, Mindy had a deep soul that had a heart for others and fostered a nurturing spirit. As Mindy went through school she made many friends and in junior high and high school Mindy joined the color guard and was a competitive cheerleader for the Hanford High Bullpups. Mindy also worked at a photography studio in the Hanford Mall, where she learned how to take photos, which later became a passion of hers. Mindy graduated from Hanford High School in 1999, which is where she met her future husband when she was a freshman and he was a sophmore. Mindy married her high school sweetheart Brian Kent surrounded by family and friends on September 11, 2005. They welcomed their eldest son Brody on April 12, 2006, followed by their youngest son Austin on July 1, 2009. Mindy worked as an executive assistant for many years before joining the education department at Adventist Health in 2011 - she celebrated her 10-year anniversary with Adventist Health in 2022. Mindy also finished college while working at Adventist Health, graduating with a Bachelors in Business from Fresno State in 2019. With her past experience in the photography studio, Mindy also freelanced as a photographer in her spare time, shooting family photos, weddings, and beautiful scenery. She loved taking photos and she had a natural talent for it. Mindy was great at cultivating deep lifelong friendships. Among her friends, Mindy was one of the first to get married and have children, giving her so much more wisdom than the average person her age and her life lessons were something she freely shared with others as they journied through their own stages in life. Mindy was often the ringleader and the reason that many of her friends gathered and stayed connected. She was thoughtful and gave small meaningful gifts and she loved to surprise people. Mindy enjoyed Bunco and had a loyal group she played with often. She loved dressing up for Halloween especially if it was a team costume. Crafting and wine nights with her girlfriends brought her so much happiness. Mindy also enjoyed the outdoors, spending many enjoyable moments with her family and in the company of friends who were her extended family. Mindy was happiest when she was camping. She loved the coast and the mountains equally, but had an affinity for the desert, just not during rattlesnake season! Due to the blessings of treatment, Mindy was grateful to feel good enough to take a few camping trips at the beginning of this year with Brian, Brody and Austin. She talked about the great food Brian cooked, sitting on the beach, and just being able to be there when she thought she may never get to do that again. While Mindy loved many things, her boys were on the top of her list. Mindy was an excellent mother and many of her friends looked to her for parenting guidance. She cherished watching her boys grow and watching them play sports always made her proud. Mindy was proud of the life she and Brian built and the family they created together. Mindy is survived by her dad Paul Casarez and stepmother Debbie Saad, and sister Alyssa Casarez, her loving husband Brian and his parents Tom and Brenda Kent, her sons Brody (16) and Austin (13), and many extended family and friends. Mindy was preceded in death by her mother Laurel Schuck.