Disney Legend, Ralph Kent, Passes Away
It is with a very heavy heart that we have to announce that Disney Legend Ralph Kent, passed away this morning in Orlando Florida.
Ralph Kent, a fan of Disney films since his childhood and dreamed that he would one day meet Walt Disney and work for him. In 1963 his dream came true when he was hired has a marketing production assistant at Disneyland.
He developed market materials for Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise, Enchanted Tiki Room and other classic attractions, and went on to create training materials for attractions at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. In 1965, Walt Disney gave him the honor of designing the first limited-edition Mickey Mouse watch for adults. This was the watch that Walt presented to 25 of his top executives. He also spent time as director of Walt Disney Imagineering East, overseeing Florida staff support for EPCOT Center and Tokyo Disneyland. He retired from the Walt Disney Company in May, 2004 after 41 years, however, he never lost touch with his roots. He continued consulting on special projects. He was inducted as a Disney Legend and has a window on Main Street facing Cinderella Castle.
Ralph was a dear friend to us, and an amazing artist. More importantly, he was a fantastic person. He was always ready with a warm smile and his quick wit. He impacted so many lives positively and his legacy will continue to do the same.
His funeral will be Saturday, September 15, 2007 at the Kingdom of the Jehovah Witnesses Hall in Kissimmee. The address is: 1525 Mill Slough Road, Kissimmee, Florida. Time TBD.
