Kent Tillman Sapp

Kent Tillman Sapp, 59, Trenton, SC passed away on February 2, 2026 in his home surrounded by his loving family.

Kent was born Sept. 3, 1966 to Ronald and Carol (Osmundson) Sapp in Boulder CO. Kent grew up in rural Leonard, ND where he helped his beloved stepfather Lloyd (deceased) with some farming and went to school until 9th grade. He moved to California to live with his father Ronald and his wife Wanda, where he graduated from Agoura Hills High School in 1984. He had a brief career in the Marine Corps before being accepted into U.S. Army Flight School at Ft. Rucker in Alabama. In 1989 he was the distinguished graduate of his class and selected to fly the UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter. He held instructor positions in instruments, flight simulators, water survival and was a Safety Officer. He deployed to several combat zones and was highly decorated for his achievements and service to our country.

Kent was an extraordinarily passionate aviator. He had his first solo flight at age 17 and went on to achieve over 13,000 hours of flight time. He held a BS in Airway Science and a Masters of Aeronautical Science. He held several FAA ratings, including fixed wing, rotorcraft, multi-engine jets, seaplanes, sailplanes and gyro crafts. He was also a certified instructor in several of the above. At one point, he worked as a civilian government contractor training the next generation of Army Pilots. He also had a gig overseas in Saudi Arabia training their Royal Airforce pilots. His career also included flying for news gathering operations, Southern Company’s (Georgia Power) Corporate Helicopter, the Sonoma County (California) Sheriff’s Office specializing in long line ocean rescues, Petroleum Helicopter’s deep offshore operations, power line inspections, Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, Sky West Airlines and NetJets. Most recently, he served as Lead Pilot for WellStar MCG Level 1 Trauma Center in Augusta until his diagnosis of cancer just over two years ago. Kent was especially proud of his service as a Decorated Pilot in Command with the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment out of Fort Campbell, KY. In his spare time, he flew sailplanes, earning recognition for remaining aloft over eight hours and reaching altitudes near 18,000 feet—remarkable without an engine! He also loved Gyrocopters. He was a certified instructor and was in the process of building his own experimental one in our hangar until his untimely death.

Most recently, Kent and his son Brendon graduated together in June 2025 from Aircraft Airframe and Engine vocational training, earning honors as number one and number two in the program—an achievement that reflected Kent’s lifelong dedication to learning, mentorship, and family.

Kent is survived by his loving wife of 33 years, Heidi, their children Ellarie, Brendon (Paxton) and his first baby granddaughter Colette; mother Carol Heller; father Ronald Sapp (Wanda); mother in law Judi Sullivan; sister Angela Balouch (Nasir); stepbrothers Dennis Heller (Bev) and Dale Heller (DeEtta); half brothers Austin Sapp (Nicole) and Stephen McAbee (Shannon); half sister Danielle Falk (Jeff); sister in law Missy Blye and brother in law Mark Hendricks (Maren) and many cherished nieces and nephews.

SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, INC., 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC 29801.