Kent Shifferd, a peace and environmental educator and author, passed away peacefully on October 24th at his home in the Town of Chicog, near Minong, Wisconsin. He was 83.

An historian, peace activist, and environmentalist, Kent taught at Northland College, in Ashland, Wisconsin, for over 30 years. In the 1970s, he took a leading role in the development of the school’s interdisciplinary environmental curriculum, and then, in the early ‘80s, created the peace studies and conflict resolution program. Along with his colleagues in the field, he helped found a 21-school consortium, the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, and traveled widely, giving guest lectures. In 2011, he published From War to Peace, a Guide to the Next 100 Years, an analysis of war in our society and the alternative pathway of peace. His second book, The Planetary Emergency: Environmental Collapse and the Promise of Ecocivilization, was published in 2021.

Kent was a Renaissance man with many passions, including sports, especially baseball (he always said it was never too late to become a Major League pitcher), art, music, and travel. He and his wife Patricia traveled to Canada and Europe countless times, as well as visiting every state in the USA. He explored both Eastern and Western spiritual practices and had a deep Christian faith influenced by his experience with Taoism and Buddhism. He stayed active with local environmental and civic causes until shortly before his death, and he had a huge heart, always jumping into action to help others.

Kent Shifferd was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 29, 1940. His father worked as a clothing salesman and his mother was an artist and homemaker. In early childhood, his family moved to Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where Kent played church basketball, baseball, and attended Glenbard West High School, where he studied Latin and found several like-minded friends who discussed literature and world events. He attended the University of Dubuque, and received bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees in history from Northern Illinois University.

He met his wife, Patricia, a sociologist, at the University of Dubuque, and they married in 1962. In addition to Patricia, he is survived by two daughters, Sania and Sarah, his brother Keith and sister-in-law Joan, and cousins Frank and Stephen Olderr.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, December 29 at 10:00 AM, at the Blue Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Rice Lake, Wisconsin (230 West Messenger Street). In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Northland College and Regional Hospice Services.

Last Update: Nov 11, 2024 1:59 pm CST