Flora Jeanette Gentry

Amory - – Flora Jeanette Smith Gentry, 91, passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2015, at Sanctuary Hospice House, Tupelo. Born on July 25, 1923, in Arkansas, she was the youngest daughter of the late Joseph Octavious and Daisy Pathenia Ward Smith.

Mrs. Gentry graduated from High School in Searcy, Arkansas, and attended the University Of Arkansas. During World War II, she worked in the bomb ammunitions plant in Jacksonville, AR. These bombs were the ones her future husband, who was a navigator of a B-24 Bomber, The Liberator, released while flying his sorties. In 1943, Mrs. Gentry married the love of her life, Arthur Newton Gentry. Having a heart of gold, she was a lady of strong Christian faith, was a member of First Baptist Church in Searcy, and attended Meadowood Baptist Church. Before retiring to become a homemaker, Mrs. Gentry had worked as a waitress and a cafeteria worker in Searcy, and as a teacher for Head Start and as a dress shop associate in Yazoo City.

She was a wonderful homemaker, mother, and grandmother, who gave a great foundation to her family. She enjoyed shopping for bargains, especially at Dirt Cheap, antiques, reading the newspaper, and watching the weather and news. An animal lover with a big heart, she especially loved cats. One of her favorite past times was eating good food and enjoying warm fellowship at Regina Dean’s Restaurant. Her closest friends, with whom she loved to spend hours conversing, were Marla Fooshee and her mom, Mrs. Conwill, and Regina and Jimmy Blankenship. Mrs. Gentry liked quilting, sewing, cooking, gardening, and canning vegetables. Jeanette was known to be funny, stubborn, wise, and everyone who met her felt as though she was their mother. She enjoyed listening to Gospel, Bluegrass, Folk and Traditional Blues music.

Survivors include her sons, Sherman “Wade” Gentry (Judy), Houston, TX, Joseph Walter “Joey” Gentry (Barbara), Dickson, TN, and Arthur “Art” Neal Gentry (Lisa), Amory; grandchildren, Michelle, Shelley, Aaron, Kelly, Tera, Jill, Brian, and Paige; great grandchildren, Kayley, Ryan, Ethan, Emily, Kody, Kooper, Annalyn, Wyatt, Daisy, and Finn; several nieces and nephews; special friends Jimmy and Regina Blankenship, Marla Fooshee, Roy Hood, and Paul and Sue Wortham.

In addition to her parents and husband of 54 years, Arthur, she was preceded in death by sisters, Nellie, Ruth, Aldona, and Kathleen; and brothers, James and J.O. Smith.

A Funeral Service will be held at 1:30 PM, Monday, April 20 at E. E. Pickle Funeral Home with Bro. Steve Reynolds officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Roy Hood, Shawn Simpson, Aaron Gentry, Casey Hildreth, Chad Murphy, Ethan Walton, Ryan Simpson, and Michael Walton.

Visitation will be from 5 - 8 PM, Sunday at the funeral home and from 12:30 until the service hour on Monday.

A Funeral Service will be held at 3 PM, Wednesday, April 22 at Faith Assembly of God in Searcy with Bro. Brian Mize officiating. Burial will follow in Faith Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Eric Hutchinson, Chuck Gentry, Darryl Smith, Tommy Smith, Steve Gentry, Steve Adkisson, Aaron Gentry, Gary Smith, and Larry Smith.

Visitation will be from 1 PM until the service hour on Wednesday at the church.

Memorials may be given to Sanctuary Hospice, PO Box 2177, Tupelo, MS 38803.

Memories and condolences may be shared with her family at EEPickleFuneralHome.com