Jerome Kent Gruelle

Absent from the body, present with the Lord, in the embrace of heaven's wings your spirit sings and soars, forever in our hearts you'll stay, until we meet again some day.

Jerome Kent Gruelle, age 69 of Melbourne Florida, known as Kent to family and friends, died peacefully with his wife Barbara Walsh-Gruelle by his side, everpresent throughout his battle, losing his life to FTD, AKA the Bruce Willis disease, and complications from cancer. Kent graduated Hillsboro High School Class of 1974 where he was on the golf team and attended The Ohio State University. He pursued a passion for cooking, starting at a little vegetarian restaurant on north campus in Columbus Ohio called "Seva" and forged a path forward enjoying a lifelong culinary career becoming a top chef in many recognized restaurants. He accepted a cross country transfer with Hyatt to Westlake Village California after which he joined Marriot working at the Mandalay Bay Beach Resort in Ventura California. He continued his culinary journey working as a butcher, known for restaurant style cuts, customers requested meats butchered by him. Family need necessitated a move from California spending two and a half years in Mentor Ohio, wherein he selflessly agreed along with his wife to care for his wife's parents, Cliff and Barb Walsh. While there he worked for Mentor Ohio School System keeping the athletic fields groomed and painted the lines on the sports fields, baseball, football, soccer, which he really enjoyed. For the remainder of his life he lived in Melbourne Florida working in the grocery industry until he retired in 2018. He then immersed himself creating abstract art, sculptures, chess sets, and bamboo pieces becoming an accomplished artist displaying and selling pieces in the Upside Gallery located in downtown Melbourne Florida. He was a lifelong fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes, spent time playing Disc Golf, listening to alternative music especially Punk, watching movies repeating movie lines as he bantered with friends and loved all animals with cats being his favorite. Spending time with Kent left those he hung with smiling and feeling good. He was a happy guy with a comedic nature and a genuine love of life. Preceded in death are his parents, Wilfred and Beryl Gruelle, sister in-law Alessandra Gruelle, in-laws Cliff and Barb Walsh, two nephews Bradley and Michael Allen. Survived by his wife Barbara Gruelle, brothers Tim Gruelle, identical twin Kevin (Carol) Gruelle, his wife's siblings Mike (Betty) Walsh, Kenny (Beth) Walsh, Eileen (Lon) Allen, Moira (Perry) Clark, Carol (Les) Kovacs, many neices and nephews and his cat DeeDee Ramone Gruelle. Notes of condolence can be sent to [email protected].