Funeral services for William C. “Snooks” Gentry, 78, of Greenville will be at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 9 at Mars Hill Pentecostal Church, Philadelphia. He died Friday, January 5 at his home after losing his fight with lung cancer. Burial will be in Mars Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Greenville.
William was born in Cleveland, MS on November 25, 1939 to William Carroll and Georgia Lee Gentry. He was in the U. S. Navy from 1959-1963 seeing very little of the Vietnam War. After his discharge from the Navy he came to Greenville where he met Linda Ruth Sorrels and they married on August 16, 1966.
He worked on the towboat for a few years then worked for 18 years at Greenville Republic Terminal. He retired in September 2005 after working with Dixie Tobacco and Candy Company.
Before William got sick he loved whittling and playing rummy with Linda, whom he always beat most of the time.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Woodard, James “Hap” and Clinton Gentry; sister-in-law, Dorothy Gentry and nephew, Scott Pounds.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Linda; three sons, David Wayne Gentry of Greenville, William “Bo” Gentry (Jamie) of Southaven and Dale Everette Gentry of Dallas, TX; two brothers, John Gentry (Sue) of Kosciusko and Bobby Gentry (Kay) of Kosciusko; three sisters, Helen Allday of Philadelphia, MS, Hilda Myers (Bob) of Philadelphia, MS and Patricia Pounds of Clarksdale; five wonderful grandchildren, Jeremy Gentry Atchley, Meghan Gentry, Kaitlyn Gentry, Damien Gentry and Nicholas Gentry and one step granddaughter, Frankie Holley. He also leaves a faithful companion who was his guardian up to the end, Roxie Samantha “Sam” Cody, David’s fiancé.
There will be a visitation from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Monday, January 8 at Boone-Smith Funeral Home, 1580 S. Colorado Street.