Kent Anderson Hadnot, Sr. was born on August 21, 1968 to Willie Gene Hadnot and
Marilyn Scott-Hadnot in Jasper, TX. He was reared in Moore Chapel CME Church at an
early age and was baptized into Christ by Rev. L.L. Carter. He later united with
Metropolitan CME under the leadership of Bishop W.E. Lockett. Kent was an intelligent
and creative honor student who graduated from Jasper High School in 1986 with
scholarships and big dreams of becoming an architect. In high school he worked at Harts
Lumber. He attended the University of Houston where he pledged Alpha Phi Alpha in
Spring of 1988. In 1989, Kent had the pleasure of working as a draftsman for HJM
Architects.
Known as the life of the party, a great friend, and a natural comedian, he was nicknamed
"Paisley P" for his choice of fashion throughout undergrad. He met his true first love and
married Sherine James in 1991, and they began to grow a family together in Third Ward.
4 beautiful children later, Kent utilized his bachelors in Architecture (1991) and his
masters in City and Urban Planning (1994) to give back to his new community. He first
served with Harris County Community Services from 1994-1997, and then as a City
Planner for Third Ward Redevelopment Council from 1997-2004. He went back to
Harris County for two years before earning awards as a Professor and Program Chair at
Westwood College and positively impacted hundreds of aspiring architects from 2007-
2012. Kent always had sideline architectural projects through The Redevelopment
Initiative as principal and CEO, where he loved watching his blueprints come to life. He
eventually joined the City of Houston as a Project Manager and architect, continuously
doing the work he loved as he worked from 2012-2020. Kent went back to Harris County
Community Services where he started and finished his career.
Kent was a published author who creatively wrote truths in his books, "Apartheid by
Design" and "What's Done in the Dark". Kent also served those he loved as the
"culinary chef" of the family. A hobby turned into a lifetime achievement as he
specialized in Creole dishes like crawfish, boiled seafood, etoufee, jamabalaya, and his
world-class gumbo. Kent was a Proud Father to Kenya (Terrace), Kent, Kia (Roshane)
and Kiara (Devante) and a Grandpa to Tahj, Paisley, and India, with one more on the
way. He leaves behind a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and frat brothers. Kent's
outgoing and hilarious personality will forever be remembered, and his presence will live
in the hearts of all who loved and knew him.