Joyce M. Gentry

Joyce Allison Gentry passed peacefully into the loving arms of her Heavenly Father on March 18th, 2021 in Oklahoma City at the age of 85. A graveside service was held at Flower Mound Cemetery southeast of Lawton.Joyce was born on May 7, 1935 on the family farm outside of Lawton to Frank Allison and Avice Carmichael Allison. This farm was homesteaded by her grandfather, Kelsey A. Allison, after his participation in the 1901 lottery to open Comanche County. Her parents eventually purchased the farm from her paternal grandfather and the farm was declared a Centennial Farm in 2001. The family still farms the land to this day.Her first six years of schooling were at the Flower Mound School. She lived in this community until she married her husband, Bill Gentry on September 4, 1953. She had just graduated from Lawton High School, as had Bill a year earlier. She had always desired to become a secretary and her first job was her dream position at the Security Bank & Trust Company of Lawton. Bill was the Assistant Manager of Hal Hughes Grocery in Lawton. Two boys were born in Lawton, Steve in 1954 and Tim in 1957. In 1964, after Bill acquired experience in the finance business in Lawton, he was offered a position with a new bank, Founders, in Oklahoma City as a vice president. Joyce had retired by this time to be a stay-at-home wife and mom. The Gentrys became active in the Putnam City Baptist Church in Oklahoma City after settling in their new home. In 1972, another move was made to Ada after Bill was offered the position of president of the Citizens Bank of Ada. They immediately moved their church membership to the First Baptist Church of Ada and Joyce was an active member there for 46 years. Twenty-two of those years she spent teaching in the second grade Sunday school class. After Bill's death, Joyce made the decision to move closer to Tim and his family in Oklahoma City. The Lord led her to the wonderful independent living facility of Epworth Villa where she has resided the last two years.Joyce spent most of her life being a loving and caring housewife and mother. She also spent many years volunteering in the Salvation Army Auxiliary. After thinking she didn't want to try learning about new gadgets, she took advantage of an opening in a Citizens Bank computer class being held at the Pontotoc VoTech. That was the beginning of her interest in constructing and printing yearbooks for her various organizations including her much loved Abiders Sunday School Class at Ada First Baptist Church. By that time she had become a member of the Chimney Hill Chapter of the Daughters of The American Revolution and held several positions in that group. She was also a member of the First Families of Oklahoma. After Bill's retirement in 2004, they enjoyed traveling and visiting relatives outside of Oklahoma.Her family was very important to her and she enjoyed spending time planning various vacations with the entire group. Surviving Joyce are her son Tim and his wife Mary of Oklahoma City; and her grandchildren and their families who have been such a blessing to her, Rachel Gentry Denbow of Oklahoma City and Joseph Marion Gentry and his wife Melaney of Clovis, California. She was privileged to have five great grandchildren, Sebastian, Ruby and Smith Denbow all of Oklahoma City and Piper and Harlow Gentry of Clovis. She is also survived by her niece Cindy and her husband Bruce Meek as well as their two boys Justin and Brandon and their families all of the Owasso area and her nephew Greg of Lawton. Also surviving is her niece Carol Newman, her husband Tom and their daughter Alissa of Leawood, Kansas.Joyce was predeceased by her husband Bill in 2017, her son Steve in 1997, her parents, two brothers Wilbur Allison and his wife, Odie, and Bennie and his wife, Betty, two infant siblings as well as grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests those who wish may make memorials to the Oklahoma Jail and Prison Ministries, P. O. Box 1252, Oklahoma City, OK 73101.