B. Kent Harrison

Bertrand Kent Harrison, age 90, passed away on August 14, 2024, in Provo, Utah, of natural causes incident to age. He was a brilliant scientist, kind man, and loving father.

 Kent was born to Bertrand Fereday and Lorna Jensen Harrison on July 21, 1934, in Provo, Utah. The oldest of four children (Linnaea Lindstrom, Chris, Philip), Kent grew up in Provo, graduated from Provo High in 1951, then began college at Brigham Young University. 

 Kent married the love of his life, Janyce Maxfield, on June 25, 1954, in the Salt Lake Temple, having asked her out for their first date during a midterm exam at BYU. He adored her spunkiness, love of life, and selflessness. They have four children, who survive them: Alan (Dale), Neil (Lisa), Paul (Patricia), and Mary Ellen Bramwell (Allen). He greatly loved his twelve grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. Janyce preceded him in death on May 2, 2020. 

 Kent graduated from BYU as the valedictorian of his class with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He received master’s and doctoral degrees from Princeton University, where he studied theoretical physics as a National Science Fellow with John Wheeler. He worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and later at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He found his academic home at Brigham Young University, including serving as the Physics Department Chair. He received five NSF grants, did mathematical physics research, mentored graduate students, and supervised the science part of a bachelor’s degree for adults desiring to finish college. Kent collaborated with several Nobel laureates, published more than 50 scientific articles about general relativity, and was the lead author for the seminal book Gravitation Theory and Gravitational Collapse. He received BYU’s Alcuin Award for excellence in teaching and retired from BYU in 2000. Kent was a patient teacher in guiding students to discover science. 

 Kent started reading at age three and never stopped. Books filled his home, and they brought him immense joy; he often quoted history, Shakespeare, and poetry. He loved listening to music, playing the piano and organ, and directing choir. He enjoyed fun holiday parties—for Halloween, he loved telling spooky stories and wearing an Einstein wig. He gardened and enjoyed fishing and hiking. 

 Service was important to Kent. He served in scouting as cubmaster with Janyce serving as den leader, earning the Provo Peak and Silver Beaver awards. Kent encouraged women to pursue careers in science, serving on BYU’s Advisory Committee on Women’s Concerns. He served on the board for the Utah County Center for Women and Children in Crisis and was a co-author of the book Confronting Abuse – An LDS Perspective on Understanding and Healing. 

 Kent served in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the bishop of a BYU married ward, agent bishop in transient and homeless services, counselor in a branch presidency, stake missionary, stake high councilor, stake clerk, temple worker, and family history researcher. 

 Kent saw no conflict between science and religion, simply viewing our understanding in both as incomplete. He strongly believed that all things in the heavens and in the earth bear record of God. He wrote often about this view, including in the book Of Heaven and Earth: Reconciling Scientific Thought in LDS Theology. 

 Lastly, Kent is remembered for being gentle and kind—to the needy and downtrodden. He was a dutiful servant to God. 

 Funeral services will be held Friday, August 23, 2024, at the LDS Edgemont 10th Ward Building, 345 East 4525 North (Canyon Road) in Provo, Utah, with the viewing at 9:30 a.m. and services at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Provo City Cemetery. The family wishes to thank countless neighbors and friends, members of his Edgemont ward, the staff at the Courtyard at Jamestown, and at Maple Creek Home Health & Hospice for their loving care. 

Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.

For those unable to attend the services they will be streamed starting at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 23, 2024, via Facebook Live at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/sundbergolpinfuneralhome/videos/527051133221748