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We are all diminished when a man of Kent Damon's stature and accomplishments leaves us, none more so than Evelyn his beloved wife - whom he lovingly referred to as his "bride" - his children Kent, Brad, Kathleen and Sally, his grandchildren and extended family. Yet they were fortunate to have Kent in their midst for so long, to enjoy his company and to benefit from his probity, dedication and strength of character.

It is a futile exercise to encapsulate Kent's long and illustrious life, or to enumerate his community participations or to assay his impact. But so much of what Kent did is enduring, and so much of what he wrought is special, that I'll risk his displeasure by selecting a few vignettes that although they can not give us the full measure of this talented man, they at least intimate his remarkable dimensions.

A private man, Kent seldom offered personal anecdotes, but he was always free with his personal assistance, especially if it might help others or his community. When I came to Rochester 20 years ago, Kent volunteered to tutor me in community service - he said that was a measure of a good Rochesterian - and to help me understand how successful and excellent corporations like Xerox benefited the community. Within the Xerox story, Kent felt, were lessons for me that could be applied to running a college. No American adult could have been unimpressed with the remarkable success story that was Haloid, then Xerox. Characteristically, Kent downplayed his own role in Xerox's meteoric rise, although he was effusive in his admiration for its CEO Joe Wilson. As part of my tutoring, Kent would occasionally invite me to lunch when some of his Xerox colleagues would visit from Stanford or far-flung locations. I listened intently to stories of Xerox's successes and challenges, and, from his colleagues' anecdotes (not his!), how important Kent was to the growth of the company. Having an impact of that magnitude would have sufficed for most of us, but Kent Damon had more to offer and he did.

Recognizing the importance of good health care to the community and admiring Marion Folsom's work in helping to shape the unique Rochester approach to health care, Kent offered his services in this area with characteristic dedication. Years later, he quietly suggested to me that I might become involved with health care to further serve our community - and, of course, one followed Kent's suggestions. My learning curve was steep, however, but Kent, though he had long since concluded his health care board service, helped me fathom this complex and fast-changing milieu. His commitment to worthy causes never waned, a remarkable trait that was most evident in his service to his overarching community interest - higher education, as embodied by his relationship to the Rochester Institute of Technology and Monroe Community College.

It was through trustee service to these colleges did Kent Damon manifest his love of community best. That service was exemplary and lengthy (indeed as long as he was physically able); it accorded him unprecedented and discomforting recognition, and, I believe, great satisfaction. Both colleges recognized Kent's service with their highest encomiums. RIT gave Kent its Nathaniel Rochester award, and MCC named its city campus the E. Kent Damon City Campus. But these artifacts don't plumb the depth of this man's contributions to higher education.

Kent was a role model for us all - he rarely missed a board meeting, was always prepared and asked the right questions. If there were an Olympic medal awarded for the fastest reader of a balance sheet, Kent would have earned it. The combination of an Amherst baccalaureate (and Phi Beta Kappa, no less), a Harvard MBA and Xerox on-the-job training afforded him great expertise in extracting the character of a college from a pile of numbers. Kent knew just what to focus on, and don't think it wasn't daunting for a college official when the Treasurer of Xerox held forth on your balance sheet! When Kent talked, the other trustees really listened. Their body language was palpable - they would literally rotate their chairs in Kent's direction when he spoke! If Kent had a point of view, he offered it - he didn't equivocate. His occasional criticisms were professional, not personal, were invariably accurate, and were always delivered in a gentlemanly manner. Once in a while, as I was presenting information to the trustees on a matter in Kent's bailiwick, he would signal me with a non-verbal cue that I remember to this day. With an arch of his eyebrow would I be advised that I was about to enter a danger zone, so I'd better be prepared! The other presidents who worked with Kent over the past 40 years, Mark Ellingson, Paul Miller, Rich Rose, Al Simone and Tom Flynn had similar experiences with the Damon cue.

Kent loved to play golf, and like everything else he put his mind to, he was good at it. He played as a young man in Iowa, in college, and as often as he could during the years he raised his family and worked so hard at Xerox. That Kent could maintain such a low handicap despite the demands of family and work was a testament to his golf prowess. He was a little more forthcoming about his golf life than with other areas. For instance, he described to me in detail an exciting match he had with Sam Urzetta, the East Rochester golfer who won the United States Amateur tournament in 1949. He told me about playing at the fabled Augusta National Golf Club, and somewhere in Kent's papers is a written invitation from the immortal Bobby Jones, a scion of that club. In later years, as happens to all golfers, Kent wasn't quite able to play with his customary skill and meet the high standards he always set for himself. One day, after watching Kent hit a three iron well short of the green at the par three, seventh hole at the Country Club, I asked him why he didn't hit a longer club. Reading my mind as only he could do, he replied, "I've always hit a three iron here, and I'm not about to change!" Kent did not make concessions to age.

Kent's influence on others and the respect they accorded him was noteworthy. Some time ago I needed to convince the MCC trustees to develop a fundraising foundation, at arms-length from the college, rather than have them raise money as had been the practice. I felt gaining Kent's support was pivotal and if I could do so, the other trustees would come along. I took Kent to Oak Hill one day to sell him on this new concept (doing business on the golf course is another Rochester tradition). Kent took golf seriously so we played first and talked business later. After our round, as Kent was enjoying his customary beverage in the grille room, I thought I had miscalculated. You see, Kent hadn't been to Oak Hill for a while, so a steady stream of his old friends visited our table to pay their respects and chat, leaving little time for our business. After they left, Kent told me to summarize my idea briefly since he and Evelyn were to play bridge that evening. Now brevity is not in the repertoire of college presidents, but I tried and he listened. Kent called me the next day and agreed with the idea, signed on to serve with the original board, and made a generous but anonymous start-up donation. The rest is history - MCC's foundation, spearheaded by Kent's impetus - is one of the most successful in the nation.

A final example of Kent's sway occurred when I showed him that Xerox did not match employees' contributions to community colleges - a not uncommon corporate practice at that time. He looked me in the eye and said resolutely, "I'm going to do something about that!" And he did. Kent never criticized the policy; he was rock-solid loyal to Xerox, but he proceeded to use his connections in Stanford and, in time, the policy was changed. About 1,200 community colleges in America can thank Kent Damon for making them eligible to receive a Xerox match. Kent cast a long shadow!

I want to thank Evelyn and the Damon family for allowing me the privilege of sharing some highlights in celebration of Kent's remarkable life. Like all who worked closely with him, I admired him immensely, and hope I learned from his example. I just know that Kent is about to tee off on that seventh hole at the celestial Country Club up yonder, and he can see the hole with the acuity he couldn't enjoy in his later years, and he's going to hit that same three iron right on the sweet spot. This time it's going to fly straight and true, on to the green and roll right to the pin. How sweet it is, Kent!

God bless you all, and God bless Kent Damon.