Ronnie Dale Gentry
May 3, 1946 ~ February 15, 2020
Ronnie Gentry, 73, Brandon, SD, died Saturday, February 15, 2020, in Lennox, SD, after many years of illnesses due to agent orange exposure.
A Celebration of Ronnie’s life will take place at 6:00pm on Friday, February 21, 2020 at Hillcrest Baptist Church, Sioux Falls, SD. Visitation will be prior to the service from 5-6pm. Inurnment will be at Tahoma National Cemetery, in Kent, WA, on Friday, at 11:00am, February 28, 2020, with Full Military Honors.
Ronnie Dale Gentry was born on May 3, 1946 in Altus, Oklahoma. Ronnie met and married the love of his life, Kathleen, while he was preparing to go to Vietnam. They danced all night holding each other the night before he left. Ronnie and Kathleen had one daughter who has always been his girl. He spent many a night up with her. Although he could be a bit ornery at times, his family has always been a very important part of his life. He loved to spoil his daughter, but when his first grandchild Shelby came along, it was clear she would want for nothing. His grandson Eric, had a very special bond with him and there was nothing that could come between them.
Ronnie loved to gamble! Most any time, you might find him at a casino, a horse track, or playing cards in someone’s kitchen. Poker was among his favorites, but he loved most all card games (Texas Hold’em). Joe and Angelo would play craps with him in Vegas which brought him great joy. He never got wealthy, but sure had a lot of fun along the way. Traveling around the country to see family kept Ronnie and Kathleen busy. In 2010, after Kathleen retired, the couple went on an amazing Alaskan cruise. He also had a love for tinkering on old cars in his earlier years.
Ronnie will be sadly missed by his wife, Kathleen, Brandon, SD; daughter, Jeannette Gentry, Graham, WA; two grandchildren, Shelby L. Gentry, and Eric L. Howard, Graham, WA; a brother, Cliff (Betty) R. Gentry, Federal Way, WA; sister-in-law, Sandi (Bill) Huggett, Brandon, SD; and several nieces and nephews.
Ronnie was preceded in death by his parents; and nine siblings, Judy, Perline, Carl, Bill, Donnie, Jerry, Larry, Steven, and Baby Girl.
Sincere condolences to the family. Ronnie was a fun-loving friend who always had a joke to tell and who was always ready to help out when called upon. Joe considered him the “brother” he never had. Our daughters thought of him as “uncle Ronnie.” We will all miss him.