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- John Edgar Gentry, son of Daniel Bryan and Mabel Mary Mabie Gentry, was born July 13, 1927, in Kansas City, Missouri. He departed this life Saturday, March 1, 2003, in Windsor Estates Care Center, in Camdenton, Missouri, at the age of seventy-five years, seven months, and eighteen days.
On November 20, 1976, in Climax Springs, Missouri, he was united in marriage to Sondra Gould Busick, and together they shared the last twenty-six years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Miles E. Gentry; and two sisters, Vera Louise Gentry Redmond, and Mabel Irene Gentry Bailey.
John is survived by his wife, Sondra, of the home; two sons, David Harley Gentry, and his wife, Janet, of the State of Arizona, and Ronald Lee Gentry, and his wife, Sandra, of Camdenton, Missouri; the mother of his sons, Verda Jean Gentry, of Kansas City, Missouri; one stepdaughter, Marilyn Kay Gentry, and her fiance, Bryon Lampe, of Macks Creek, Missouri; four stepsons, David W. Busick, and his wife, Diane, of Warsaw, Missouri, Chris Delyle Busick, of Climax Springs, Missouri, Jerry Daniel Busick, and his wife, Shelly, of Warsaw, Missouri, and Larry Dean Busick, and his wife, Tina, of Columbia, Missouri; fourteen grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a brother, Robert N. Gentry, and his wife, Judy, of Grain Valley, Missouri; two sisters, Doris Fay Orlando, and her husband, Anthony, of Federal Way, Washington, and Norma Jean Barrett, and her husband, Ted, of Everett, Washington; a number of nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
He was raised in the Edwards, Missouri community, and attended Northeast High School, in Kansas City, Missouri. He then attended Electrical Technical School and earned his Electrical Engineering Degree in 1947. John had been a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local # 124 in Kansas City, for fifty-eight years. He was the supervisor in charge of the runway lighting system for the MCI Airport in Kansas City, and did the wiring for most of the downtown Kansas City buildings. He owned and operated a machine shop in Kansas City for a number of years, before moving to the Lake of the Ozarks in 1963. He founded Spartan Steel Products in Climax Springs and built the first steel and Styrofoam boat docks in the Lake area, before retiring in 1976.
John made his profession of faith in Christ at the age of 49 and was an active member of Faith Baptist Church for fifteen years, where he designed, built, and installed a lighted wrought iron cross on top of the church. Since moving to the Lake area, he had been a member of the Heartland Worship Center in Camdenton.
He had been a firefighter with the Mid-County Fire Protection District and was named Fireman of the Year in the late 1980's. John invented and constructed a portable helicopter landing light system and donated it to the fire department. He enjoyed racing stock cars and motorcycles in the Kansas City area, was an avid fisherman and enjoyed football and reading in his spare time. He also liked inventing items and working in his workshop. His family was very important to him and he greatly loved all of his children.
John was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and uncle, and was a caring neighbor and friend. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.
Services will be held at 2:00p.m. Wednesday, March 5, 2003 in the Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Climax Springs Cemetery. Visitation will be held Wednesday from 12:30p.m. until time of services under the direction of the Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Camdenton, Missouri.
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1931 - 2016 (84 years)
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