In Memory

Michael A. (Mike) Gentry

Michael A. (Mike) Gentry

Michael Allen Gentry

NOVEMBER 29, 1944 – MAY 19, 2019

Obituary of Michael Allen Gentry

Michael Allen Gentry, 74, of Houston, Texas passed away on May 19, 2019. He was born on November 29, 1944 in Topeka, Kansas to Dick and Alice Gentry. He graduated from Washburn University with a B.B.A. in Marketing. Mike worked in marketing and merchandising in the food distribution business for 40 years, the majority of those years with Sysco before retiring from Independent Marketing Alliance in 2009. 

Mike met the love of his life in 1st grade at Sumner Elementary and they were married on July 13, 1968 in Topeka before moving to Houston, Texas. Together they had their only son, Logan, and established a wide circle of friends who became like family.

Mike was an avid sports fan, religiously changing his hat to cheer on his favorite teams. He had a lifetime love of baseball and realized a bucket list trip to Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame with his family in 2016. He always loved to make people laugh and forged enduring friendships, from his high school days at Topeka High, to his co-workers at Sysco and IMA. 

Mike leaves behind his wife, Nancy, his son Logan & Amber Gentry, his grandchildren Eli, Calvin, and Mya, his lifelong best friend and big brother, Barry & Sharon along with their sons Tim, Steven, & Doug & their children.

A memorial will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2019 at 2:00 pm at Bayou City Fellowship in Cypress, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to organizations that serve to advance the care and treatment of Parkinson’s. Preferences are either Michael J. Fox Foundation, www.michaeljfox.org, or the Parkinson’s Foundation, www.parkinson.org



 
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05/26/19 12:05 PM #10    

Robert Paul Lee

so many fun memroies of Topeka High had Michael inthe middle of them.  adios. Bob "Paul" Lee

 

 


05/26/19 01:57 PM #11    

Sheryl Turner (Dailey)

So sorry to hear of Mike's passing. I have memories of him from kindergarten at Sumner all the way through graduation from Topeka High. He was an important part of our class and will always be remembered by his classmates. My prayers are with his family.

05/26/19 02:28 PM #12    

Roseann Sams (Gish)

Mike was one of a kind and Nancy was his girl.  They were such a fun couple.  Mike will be missed as he was a great guy to everyone. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Nancy.


05/26/19 02:47 PM #13    

Byron Price

Met Mike at Roosevetl Junior Hign and adimred him as the star running back and track star before I got o know what a great guys he was. His brother married my cousin and we alwas called each other Cuz. Our contact after high school deminished but in the past several years from renuions we devcelped an "email" relationship that was was great fun. I still admire him and he is missed .

Byron


05/27/19 05:04 PM #14    

Richard L. Thornburg

To my old friend, you are in a better place today and you will be missed. No more illness can make you fell bad. Even when you had those days,you still could smile and laugh. Nancy you are a Saint, because not all days were good days. My birthday will be sad this year because for many years I always got some kind of greeting from my buddy. Mike's birthday was November 29th and mine is November 27th. We had great fun bantering back and forth about me being the old guy. Rest in peace my friend. dt

05/29/19 09:53 AM #15    

Martha Jane Guild (Neukomm)

So sad to hear of Mike's passing. Went to school with him since RooseveltJr. High. Wonderful person. Prayers going out to his family.


05/30/19 08:22 AM #16    

Mary Kay Perry (Magerkurth)

Nancy so sorry to hear about Mike. So many wonderful memories of Mike that goes back to grade school.


06/12/19 09:45 PM #17    

Janet (Jan) Constable (Leach)

I met Mike in the 7th grade at Roosevelt, and I have some great memories of him.  It has been so wonderful to talk with Mike on the phone during football games the past few years.  His humor was great and he will be missed so much.  So glad he won’t have to suffer with his failing health any longer.  


08/16/19 12:37 PM #18    

Paul W. (P. J. ) Anderson

I regret being late offering my condolences to Nancy and Mike's family.  I heard of Mike's passing through another classmate, and had expected to receive notification through our class website.  Unfortunately, I stopped receiving the various notifications some months ago, and am just now getting back online.  Forgive the narrative.

Mike was for me, as to most others, a person to lean upon.  Not tall in stature, he possessed a grand heart and an easy way of being.  People gravitated around him to enjoy his easy friendship and warm personality.

Being fraternity brothers in Phi Delta Theta at Washburn, we also shared a close friendship with another of our brothers, Doug Schoenfelt--Mike's closer to Doug than mine.  When Doug was injured in an automobile accident in the fall of 1967, we all expected him to bounce back in no time.  The car he was in was hardly damaged, and Doug had suffered no observable physical injury.  We at the house were waiting for him to show up again for Monday night dinner.

Little did we know that Doug had sustained an internal trauma which was not detected until too late.  He had hemorhaged beyond a critical point. This had led to brain damage which was irrecoverable and ultimately was which caused Doug's death.

The reason I bring this up is Mike's long time and close friendship with Doug, and we were informed of his passing the morning before classes as WU.  It was a bitterly cold day, and I was at the Phi Delt house when we received the terrible news.  I walked upstairs to the second floor and our onto the terraza above our porch to be alone with my thoughts.  Shortly afterward, Mike came out too and joined me.  Mike was absolutely distraught and nearly unconsolably crying.  We hugged each other in the freezing air as a means of comfort--no words spoken--none could help.

Of all the things I remember of Mike, this story stands out most vividly in my mind; it makes me realize that, for Doug's death to have affected him so dramatically, his love for Nancy through all the years they shared together must never have faltered.  I extend my deepest sympathies to her and their family along with my fondest rememberences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


08/17/19 04:35 AM #19    

Glenda K. Huntsman

Aloha 'oe (farewell to you),  A hui hou (Till we meet again), Mike. Thank you for all the memories of you at T.H.S.. Where ever there was a group of boys you were in the middle laughing and with a big smile on your face and eyes twinkling.  I will look for your twinkle in "The Milky Way". May God Bless you, Nancy and Logan and family and keep you all in his grace. You will be missed by so many. Much Aloha, Glenda

 


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