Doris Gentry's Obituary
Doris Rice GentryPhenomenal Woman The word phenomenal is defined as: remarkable, exceptional, extraordinary, and amazing. Doris Rice Gentry was a remarkable woman with exceptional qualities who did extraordinary things in such amazing ways. Doris Rice Gentry was the eldest of four children born to the late Ardean and Lillian Degraphenried Rice on March 26, 1937 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Fairforest, South Carolina. Doris accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Hardy Chapel Baptist Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Upon moving to San Diego she continued her spiritual walk with Christ and united with the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. Doris was a faithful and active member of her church. She served on the Deaconess Board, Pastor’s Aide, Hospitality Ministry, and the Women’s Ministry. Doris was a remarkable young woman with an adventurous spirit. She enlisted into the United States Army and served her tour as an army nurse with honor and bravery. She received an honorable discharge on June 12, 1957. While serving our country Doris met the love of her life, Elijah Gentry (who preceded her in death) while stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia. They were married on April 27, 1957. To this blessed union five children were born: Walter Dean Gentry, Stanley Duran Gentry, Rosalind Ann Gentry Jordan, Alan Cedric Gentry, and Elijah Gentry Jr. Doris loved her family. She was a devoted loving wife who supported her husband’s entrepreneurial spirit each and every step of the way. Together, in 1962 they established the Gentry Family Barber Shop and laid the foundation that a legacy is now built upon. Gentry Family Barber Shop has been a pillar of the community for the past 55 years, and continues to be a mainstay of high quality personal service and goodwill. Doris and Elijah Sr. taught their children through example as they continuously echoed “If you take care of your business, your business will take care of you.” Through hard work, dedication, true grit, and determination; Gentry Family Barber Shop is still thriving. Doris was an exceptional mother. She would get her children off to school in the morning, work side-by-side with her husband in the barber shop, take care of additional business matters, along with community concerns, and then cook and attend to her families’ needs and wants in the evening. She also supported her children by attending their various football games, school field trips, and community events. As her children matured she was the voice of wisdom and reason in their lives. Doris was an extraordinary cook! During the holidays and special occasions Doris would fire-up her out-door kitchen as well as her indoor kitchen and put on a spread of chicken, ribs, ham, turkey, baked beans, vegetables, greens and cornbread, potato salad, yams, coconut whipped cream cherry dessert, and red velvet cake before it became popular and many more yummy gut-busting dishes that her family and friends enjoyed immensely. Music, laughter, and bones slapping (dominos) and other games would accompany Doris’ delicious cooking. A good time was always to be had at the Gentry’s. Doris Rice Gentry: remarkable woman with an adventurous spirit, devoted loving wife, exceptional loving mother, extraordinary cook, and amazing business woman was called home by the Lord on Sunday, February 18, at 1: 30 a.m. She is now reunited with her beloved husband Elijah Gentry Sr., her beautiful loving daughter, Rosalind Ann Gentry Jordan, her parents: Ardean Rice and Lillian Degraphenried Rice, and her brothers, Marvin and Charles Rice. She leaves loving memories to be cherished by her sons: Walter Dean Gentry, Stanly Duran Gentry, Alan Cedric Gentry and Elijah Gentry Jr. all of San Diego CA; granddaughters: Kellie Yvette Gentry Jackson of Las Vegas NV; Louise Jonnell Jordan of Washington DC; Devonna Nishelle Gentry and Naijah Anne Gentry both of San Diego CA; grandsons: Walter Dean Gentry Jr. and Keith Dawson Gentry both of Phoenix AZ; David P. Johnson Gentry and Devin Duran Johnson Gentry both of New Orleans LA; Eric Dawson Gentry of Long Beach CA; Stanley Duran (Bam Bam) Gentry Jr., and De’andre Lamar Gentry both of Las Vegas NV; and James Randel Jordan of Chicago IL; sister: Beverly J. Young of Richmond, CA; brother: Curtis Rice of Richmond, CA; Sister in-law: Oberia Rice of Yuba City CA; and a host of relatives and friends. PHENOMENAL WOMAN by Maya Angelou
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