James Kent Van Houten, 80, of Frankfort, SD, died Monday, May 23, 2011 at Community Memorial Hospital in Redfield. Kent's wishes were to be cremated with no services. Memorials may be made to the Nature Conservancy of the Dakotas or the Frankfort Cemetery. www.thelenfuneralhome.com

James Kent Van Houten was born January 8, 1931 in Frankfort to Peter and Esther (Roller) Van Houten. He attended Frankfort Public School, graduating in 1948. He then moved to New York City to study piano. He served in the United States Army from 1951-1953, attaining the rank of Corporal. After completion of his army service he studied at Hunter College in New York City, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, He was a Fulbright Fellow in Germany and did graduate work as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at Cornell and was a professor at Rice University and Millsaps College. In 1972, he returned to Frankfort and was employed in various positions at the South Dakota Developmental Center-Redfield.

He was strongly interested in classical music and gardening. He was a member of the SD Horticultural Society, SD Master Gardener Association and the Nature Conservancy.

Kent is survived by his brothers: Verlyn (Margaret) Van Houten of Hillsborough, NJ and Keith Van Houten of Bellview, FL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and two sisters.