Jean Gentry - Obituary

n incredible wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to so many, Jean Kurtz Gentry passed away peacefully on July 29, 2015, at the age of 79. Jean will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 55 years, John; her children Wayne (Leslie), Keith (Kris), Debbie (Tony), and Scott (Hayley); her three grandchildren Andrew, Michael, and Brendan; extended family; and a whole host of friends. Jean was preceded in death by her mother and father "Chick" and John Kurtz, her brother Jack Kurtz, and her mother-in-law Dolly Cuddy. A proud native-born Washingtonian, Jean moved just outside the city to raise her family in Takoma Park, MD, before retiring to Myrtle Beach, SC, in 1989 and then Pawleys Island, SC, in 2002. Though her job as a mother was the one most important to her, Jean also worked outside the home at various points in her life, including with the Retail Clerks' Association, Weight Watchers International, and Fairfield Westwinds. She also made her mark as the wife of a police officer, helping to establish the DC Police Wives Association in the 1960s. To know Jean, was to love her. She was quick witted, fun loving, and a little bit sassy. She loved to plan and host a good party and wasn't afraid to shake it up on the dance floor. A staunch fan of the Washington Redskins, you could find Jean glued to the TV every Sunday during football season cheering them on at the top of her lungs. Though faced with challenges from Parkinson's disease for the past several years, Jean never put herself first. She was always concerned about how others were doing and what she could do for them. Her caring and compassionate ways touched the lives of so many. She will be greatly missed. Friends may call at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD on Monday, August 3 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8pm. A funeral service to celebrate Jean's life will be held on Tuesday, August 4, at 11:00 a.m., at St. James Episcopal Parish in Lothian, MD. Interment will follow in the family gravesite at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Those who so desire may make memorial donations in memory of Jean Kurtz Gentry to either the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the American Heart Association, or Tidelands Community Hospice (Georgetown, SC).