Albert Frank Gentry was born on Monday, January 9, 1928, to Albert Guy & Gertrude Allen Gentry in Van Alstyne, Texas. He passed peacefully from this earth on December 6, 2017 at his home in Van Alstyne, TX with his family.
He was a WWII Veteran of the US ARMY. He served under General Douglas McArthur in Nagasaki, Japan after the atomic bomb. He was a color guard for the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Japan. After the war, he married Dimple Joyce Dobbins in Gunter, TX on January 2, 1948, and spent their honeymoon at his Grandparents house after going to the movies to see Hop Along Cassidy. He worked for a time in the oil fields of New Mexico then moved to Arkansas where he had a logging business. Later he moved his family to Van Alstyne, TX where he opened Gentry's used cars in the late 1950's. He was a businessman for a number of years operating the Enco gas station, a used car lot and a wrecking yard. The slogan on his business card was "The walking man's friend". He retired as a machinist after 17 years at Texas Instruments. He loved to tend his vegetable garden every summer and shared the bounty with his family and friends. He was a long-time member of the American Legion and a lifetime member of the VFW.
He was a hard worker all of his life and was a man of many trades. He never met a stranger and had a generous heart.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Dimple Joyce Gentry, daughter Dianna Kost, grandson Adam Gentry, brothers A. G. Gentry, J. C. Gentry, Bill Gentry, Gene Gentry, Sisters Francis Dotson, Lucille Roberts, Paulene Doyle.
He is survived by four children, son Kenneth Gentry & Rita, daughter Sharron Ingram & Mike, son Danny Gentry & Sharon, all of Van Alstyne, TX, son Michael Gentry & Penny of Harmony, TX. Seven grandchildren, Shanna Miller & Donnie of Tom Bean, Kevin Armstrong & Lindsay of Tom Bean and Sean Armstrong & Temple of Van Alstyne. Body Gentry of Houston, Danton Gentry & Haley of Tyler, Cheyenne & Drennon Flores from Big Sandy, TX. Nine great-grandchildren, Colten & Cody Miller, Gracie & Gavin Armstrong, Aiden Farrington, Tate & Dax Armstrong, Kaiden & Brody Lee Gentry. Two great-great-grandchildren, Sawyer & Hayes Miller. Four sisters, Nina Marie White of Decatur, TX, Marcelle Shelton of DeQueen, AR, Ruthy Crawford of Mena, AR and Brenda Ellis of Tyler, TX. Numerous nieces and nephews.
The Family will receive friends from 1-3 p.m. prior to the service which will be at 3:00 p.m. at Scoggins Funeral Home, Van Alstyne, TX, followed by burial at the Van Alstyne cemetery. Pallbearers will be Kevin Armstrong , Sean Armstrong, Colten Miller, Danton Gentry, Larry A. Gentry & Michael B. Gentry . Honorary pallbearers Paul Hartwell, Jessie Davis, and Bill Godwin.
A special thank you to all the nurses and staff at Guardian Hospice for their support and care.
Services are under the direction of Scoggins Funeral Home & Crematory, 637 W. Van Alstyne, Pkwy. Van Alstyne, TX.