Obituary of Bill E. Gentry

C.E. "BILL" GENTRY August 16, 1923 to October 22, 2011 Loving husband, father and grandfather, Bill Gentry, 88 passed away peacefully at the Ray Hickey Hospice House on October 22, 2011. Bill was born on August 16, 1923 on his Grandfather Thomas Simmon's homestead near Fisher's Landing, Camas, WA, to Everett and May Gentry. He attended Fisher's Grade School and Mill Plain Junior High School. He graduated from Camas High School in 1941. During WWII, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1942 to 1945. He married his high school sweetheart, Helen Gittings, in 1943. He attended Clark College and the University of Washington. He became Purchasing Manager for several Crown Zellerbach Paper Mills in Washington, Oregon and Missouri. Bill loved boats, waterskiing, snow skiing, camping, hiking, sailing, and reading. His hobbies included carving wood ducks and crosses, and constructing model sailboats and wooden boxes of various sizes. Bill took early retirement from Crown Zellerbach Corp. in 1979 at Port Townsend, WA. He and Helen then moved to Brinnon, WA, Ocean Shores, WA, Sutherlin, OR, Woodburn, OR, and currently resided in Washougal, WA. Happy sailing on God's mighty seas, Captain Hook. You will have a special place in our hearts forever. Our love and God's peace to you…….. Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Helen E. Gentry; son, Jim Gentry and daughter-in-law, Norene, of Washougal; grandsons, Troy and Chad Gentry both of Washougal, and brother Tom Gentry of Vancouver. Bill was preceded in death by a younger son, Dennis Gentry of Honolulu, Hawaii. Bill has requested that there be no memorial service. Straub's Funeral Home & Columbia River Cremation in Camas is in charge of the arrangements. Donations in Bill's memory may be made to Ray Hickey Hospice House, 2112 E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661 or to Zion Lutheran Church, NE 4th and Garfield, Camas, WA 98607. To send condolences or to sign the online guest book please visit www.straubsfuneralhome.com.