James Bryant Gentry

My mother, Jessie Mary (Camp) Gentry released me to an unsuspecting world on Thursday, 15 October 1925 A.D., after dinner, in the front bedroom of a farm house in the community of Midway, in Jones County, Texas. I was a normal Texas size baby, weighing 10 lbs. 12 oz. My mother enrolled me in the Cradle Roll Department of Hodges Missionary Baptist Church and this was my church home for the first six years of my life. My mother died unexpectedly when I was 11 months old, and my Dad raised me there on the farm until I was five years old. I was an only child. My nearest relative was a double cousin, Morgan Gentry; our fathers were brothers and our mothers were sisters. I came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior in 1936 at the University Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas. I graduated from High School as Salutatorian of my class and entered John Tarleton University in Stephenville, Texas at age 16, then Attended Hardin Simmons University. I had become interested in the Jewelry business, and went to work at Lester's Jewelers in Abilene, learning how to do Hand Engraving. Then I joined the U.S. Navy, and after doing my duty there, I returned to Lester's Jewelers doing engraving. About this time, some smart aleck had invented a machine that did engraving, so I started selling jewelry as the machine took over my job. I was a good salesman and was made a Store Manager at age 25. I was soon transferred to a new store in Odessa, Texas, a few years later to a much larger store in Corpus Christi, Texas, and then to Oklahoma City in 1962 where I became president of Rosenfield's Jewelers. I stayed in the jewelry business until I retired in 1987. My wife Helen passed away in 1985. I then married Wanda in 1986 and she passed away in 1999. I met Anne on May 30, 2001 and we were married 80 days later on 17 August 2001. I am also blessed with many step-children, step-grandchildren, and step-great grandchildren. God has truly blessed me every day of my life, a Mother whom I am told was a real Angel, and a Dad who was a fine Christian who had the guts to raise me on the farm by himself. God has blessed me with three of the most beautiful Christian wives that any man could ever want. GOD IS TRULY THE GREAT 'I AM' Mr. Gentry died April 27, 2015, in Oklahoma City after writing this obituary. Visitation will be Wednesday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Smith & Kernke N. May. Funeral will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at Village Baptist Church. Burial will follow with Navy Honors at Memorial Park Cemetery.