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March 24, 2021
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Workman endowments to benefit local communities “You can make a difference in someone’s life, if you can make a connection,” was a common phrase said by Kent Workman. It was a phrase Kent not only mentioned, but lived. In speaking about her son, Peggy said, “Kent had many talents in his lifetime, but he was truly ‘gifted’ in being able to make a connection and thereby make a difference, whether it was with his students, family, friends, or acquaintances.” Today, even after a car accident in 2019 that took his life, Kent continues to touch the lives of others through two endowments at the Community Foundation of Wabash County. In his will, Kent wanted to honor his mother Peggy by creating the Peggy D. Workman Endowment, to provide support in perpetuity to the First Brethren Church in North Manchester and further the church’s mission and youth programming. Kent also wanted to encourage youth participation in the sport of golf and provide support for men’s health, related to prostate cancer, through the creation of a trust. Kent’s siblings quickly realized the challenges of managing a trust and approached the Community Foundation seeking a way to meet Kent’s wishes without the cost and administration of a trust. The answer was the creation of a field-of-interest endowment fund. Kent Workman was born and raised with his three siblings in Wabash County and graduated from Manchester College with a degree in education. Following graduation, he became a math teacher for Maconaquah High School for 33 years until his retirement in 2017. Kent invested his time in youth, and he served a number of years as the Maconaquah JV basketball coach. He also spent hours on the golf course, teaching youth how to play and instilling in them a love for the game. Kent cared for each of his students and athletes, and they remember him for his sense of humor. Outside of school, Kent was actively involved in the Peru and North Manchester communities. He even convinced the Peru Park Board to host an annual Easter Egg Hunt, for which he served as chair. Kent’s mother Peggy remembers her son gathering prizes
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donated by local businesses and community members for the event. She specifically recalls, “One summer, when K-Mart in Peru was going out of business, he told me we needed to stop at K-Mart on our way to dinner so that he could purchase a couple of the bicycles on sale for the Easter Egg Hunt, which was still months away!” Kent is remembered for his dedication and commitment to his family, his students, and the community, but one of his greatest passions was playing golf and making the sport accessible to others. For Kent, golf served as a way to connect and build relationships with others, relieve stress, teach youth, and raise money The late Kent Workman is pictured with his mother, Peggy Workman, and the Easter for the causes most dear to Bunny. Workman enjoyed hosting the annual Easter Egg hunt through the Peru Parks him. Golfing also allowed Board. Photo provided. Kent to spend time with his Kent began spending his entire summers treasure the memory and accomplishbeloved Schnauzer, Caddie. Kathy ment. Singpiel, Kent’s sister said, “We grew up on the golf course. Soon, summer Today, youth ages 6-18, in Miami and raising Schnauzers. So when Kent decid- wasn’t enough, and he began golfing year round, using orange balls to golf in Wabash Counties will benefit from the ed that he needed a companion dog, he opportunities provided by the Kent A. the snow. It is fitting that Kent’s wish chose a Schnauzer, and named her Workman Memorial Endowment. Grants Caddie, planning to take her along when was to start a golf endowment to help from the endowment will assist with the young people learn and enjoy the game. he went golfing! He taught her how to "spot" his golf balls, after he hit them, by Golf helped him through many stressful costs of summer golf camps, golf scrambles, and school golf team expenses times; It was his outlet, and he truly adding a cinnamon scent to them. Once including new equipment, travel, tournaloved the game.” she found the golf ball, she would ‘sit’ ment fees, and scholarships. To apply for In May of 1996, the Workman siblings beside it until he came, then he gave her a grant from the endowment, a school a treat. She loved riding with him in the lost their father after a battle with principal, athletic director, or coach prostate cancer. To cope with his grief, golf cart. A lot of the time, she would must fill out and submit the application. Kent used golf as his outlet. However, run alongside the cart, as though she Requests for applications can be sent to Kent felt compelled to share his father’s was pulling it!” story and raise awareness about prostate Julie Garber, julie@cfwabash.org. Kent’s brother Kyle recalls the first “The creation of the endowment was time they learned how to play golf. “Kent cancer. So, he decided to increase awarethe perfect combination to combine ness and raise money for the American and I always enjoyed many of the same Cancer Society by setting a record in the Kent’s love for golf with his desire to sports. As kids and young adults it was Guinness Book of World Records for the give back,” says Kent’s sister-in-law Teri all about basketball and we played nonmost holes played in a week with a cart. Workman. “One day, shortly after Kent’s stop. In the Spring of 1982, Kent and I The record was a total of 1,363 holes. To death, a man approached me asking if I were both students at Manchester was related to Kent. He told me a story encourage and support Kent, his family College and decided to take a golf class helped fundraise and share the message, about Kent showing up at his door together. The sport stuck but we were and they followed him around the course because he knew the man’s son loved to still both playing a lot of basketball and in golf carts all week. Kent was success- play golf and he wanted to financially were very busy with classes. Golf was ful at his world record attempt - playing help him keep playing. The man was an expensive sport, and we were poor grateful and understandably surprised. college students at the time. Later, when a total of 1,560 holes, which equates to It was wonderful to hear the story but I more than 12 rounds of golf per day! we both had full-time jobs, we became wasn’t surprised with Kent’s actions…it Although the world record was shortfully engrossed in the game of golf…or was just the sort of thing he would do.” lived, the Workman family will forever at least Kent did. As a school teacher,
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