godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
1 Timothy 4:8
Margaret Ann Gentry
Margaret Ann Gentry was born in Spokane, WA, to Ward Crowley and Lucile Veatch Crowley on June 7, 1940. She lived a full life and died peacefully at home surrounded by family, on April 1st, 2024, at the age of 83.
Marge was raised on the family farm in Deer Park, WA. The farm continued to be her place of retreat and comfort throughout her life.
In 1957, the family moved to Moscow, Idaho, where Marge completed high school and attended the University of Idaho, getting a degree in Medical Bacteriology. While there, she met Gene Gentry and they married on June 11, 1960. They had 64 years of marriage, five children, and many adventures together.
In 1969, Marge and her husband were appointed to the Congo (then Zaire). Her shyness and initial reluctance to go quickly became a true calling. Always willing to initiate new endeavors, she worked as a lab technician, an accountant (which she was especially good at), a radio operator, and a store-keeper selling subsidized commodities and seeds for gardens. She helped develop a garden and small animal project to improve food security for the Congolese. Her faith was instrumental in her children’s lives and her compassion and faith led her to adopt her youngest son, Jordan. She and Gene spent 20 years as missionaries in the Congo. Upon civil unrest in the Congo where rebels were shooting at her evacuation plane, they returned to Deer Park. After a year, she and Gene spent another 4 years in Haiti, where she taught English and developed the computer program at Northern Haitian Christian University.
Because Marge was very intelligent and persistent, she was able to enjoy many different jobs and hobbies. She worked as a lab tech, punch-card operator, accountant, real-estate agent, farmer, and well-loved missionary wife and mother. Throughout her years, she would often fish for breakfast with her children. When she set out to do crafts, she would master the chosen craft-- painting, quilting, cross-stitch, knitting—to the extent that other crafters sought her out for advice. She gifted and sold banners to several churches, and many of her children and grandchildren have quilts designed especially for them. Early in life, she learned to play the piano and accordion and blessed the church and family with her music.
Upon retirement, she continued to stay busy with her multiple friends, going to movies and playing games. She was very involved in playing water volleyball with her YMCA friends. Her connections at the Open Door Church were especially cherished.
She is preceded in death by her parents and her sister Marikay (Dave) Devereaux, She is survived by her husband, Gene; her sisters Kathleen Baker and Jean (Don) Marshall, and her five children - Janeen (Ben) Graham Suella (Bill) Koontz, Wayne (Bella)Gentry, Steve (April) Gentry and Jordan Gentry; her children of her heart Dioni (Rachel) Victorian and Mbongo Gentry; her 11 grandchildren Brolin, Ember, Neriah, Jorin, Aaron, Alex, Bethany, Christopher, Shalani, Nikisa, Lizinyani, and multiple great grandchildren.
A memorial service to celebrate Marge’s life will be held on Saturday, April 6th, at 1:00 pm, at the Open Door Church in Deer Park, WA.
Marge was raised on the family farm in Deer Park, WA. The farm continued to be her place of retreat and comfort throughout her life.
In 1957, the family moved to Moscow, Idaho, where Marge completed high school and attended the University of Idaho, getting a degree in Medical Bacteriology. While there, she met Gene Gentry and they married on June 11, 1960. They had 64 years of marriage, five children, and many adventures together.
In 1969, Marge and her husband were appointed to the Congo (then Zaire). Her shyness and initial reluctance to go quickly became a true calling. Always willing to initiate new endeavors, she worked as a lab technician, an accountant (which she was especially good at), a radio operator, and a store-keeper selling subsidized commodities and seeds for gardens. She helped develop a garden and small animal project to improve food security for the Congolese. Her faith was instrumental in her children’s lives and her compassion and faith led her to adopt her youngest son, Jordan. She and Gene spent 20 years as missionaries in the Congo. Upon civil unrest in the Congo where rebels were shooting at her evacuation plane, they returned to Deer Park. After a year, she and Gene spent another 4 years in Haiti, where she taught English and developed the computer program at Northern Haitian Christian University.
Because Marge was very intelligent and persistent, she was able to enjoy many different jobs and hobbies. She worked as a lab tech, punch-card operator, accountant, real-estate agent, farmer, and well-loved missionary wife and mother. Throughout her years, she would often fish for breakfast with her children. When she set out to do crafts, she would master the chosen craft-- painting, quilting, cross-stitch, knitting—to the extent that other crafters sought her out for advice. She gifted and sold banners to several churches, and many of her children and grandchildren have quilts designed especially for them. Early in life, she learned to play the piano and accordion and blessed the church and family with her music.
Upon retirement, she continued to stay busy with her multiple friends, going to movies and playing games. She was very involved in playing water volleyball with her YMCA friends. Her connections at the Open Door Church were especially cherished.
She is preceded in death by her parents and her sister Marikay (Dave) Devereaux, She is survived by her husband, Gene; her sisters Kathleen Baker and Jean (Don) Marshall, and her five children - Janeen (Ben) Graham Suella (Bill) Koontz, Wayne (Bella)Gentry, Steve (April) Gentry and Jordan Gentry; her children of her heart Dioni (Rachel) Victorian and Mbongo Gentry; her 11 grandchildren Brolin, Ember, Neriah, Jorin, Aaron, Alex, Bethany, Christopher, Shalani, Nikisa, Lizinyani, and multiple great grandchildren.
A memorial service to celebrate Marge’s life will be held on Saturday, April 6th, at 1:00 pm, at the Open Door Church in Deer Park, WA.
