Arretta (Ryder) Lent passed away peacefully at her home on April 24, 2026, at the age of 93, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born in Dixie, Virginia, and carried the values of faith, family, and resilience with her throughout her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, A.T. and Daisy Ryder; her brothers, Ray Ryder and Thurman Ryder; her sister, Lorretta Davis; and her son, Kinney Allen Leonard.
Arretta leaves behind a legacy of love in her devoted husband, David Robert Lent, and her children: Viki Leonard Ashchi of Zephyrhills, Susan (Chris) Davis of Zephyrhills, Doug (Karen) Leonard of Dade City, Patricia (James) Earnest of Dade City, Sherry Hammond of Zephyrhills, Michael (Kimberly) Leonard of Zephyrhills, Susan Pamela Bailey of South Carolina, and David Robert Lent II of Zephyrhills. She was also the cherished matriarch of a large and loving family, including 130 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

A woman of deep faith, Arretta’s love for Jesus guided her life and shaped the way she cared for others. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother who found her greatest joy in time spent with her family. She also delighted in simple pleasures, especially yard sales and thrift shopping, where she found both treasures and happiness.

Together, Arretta and her husband David were the original proprietors of the Zephyrhills Golden Corral.

Family and friends are invited to honor and celebrate Arretta’s life at a viewing on Friday, May 8, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., followed by a funeral service from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Hodges Family Funeral Home, 36327 Pure Water Way 54, Zephyrhills, Florida. Interment will immediately follow at Oakside Cemetery, 5301 1st Street, Zephyrhills.

Her life was a testament to enduring faith, unconditional love, and the strength of family bonds, a legacy that will live on in all who knew her.