Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 2, 2013 at the Billy M. King-Colonial Chapel Funeral Home for Mr. Meddie Joe Gentry, 88 of Collins, who passed away Saturday, April 27, 2013 at the Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg.


Brother Reese Douglas Jr. and Brother John Miller will officiate at the services with interment to follow in the Springhill Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Collins with military rites at graveside. Music will be provided by Alesha Smith, Anna McLaurin, T.J. Sanders, Beth King, and Jamie Speed. Billy M. King-Colonial Chapel Funeral of Collins will be in charge of the arrangements.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons, Tyler Gentry, Alex Gentry, Brad Wade, Ed Williams, Billy Joe Lowery, Coty Dalrymple, and Gentry Reed. Honorary pallbearers will be his sons-in-law, Jimmy Lowry, Dale Williams, and Steve Wade.

Mr. Gentry, a Covington County native, was a retired farmer. He was a United States Army veteran of World War II serving in France and Germany. Mr. Gentry was a member of the Springhill Missionary Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Meddie and Bertha Culpepper Gentry; one grandson, Audi Lowery; and his brothers and sisters.

Survivors include his wife of sixty five years, Johnnie Sellers Gentry of Collins; two sons, Joel Gentry, and his wife, Elaine of Collins; and Jay Gentry, and his wife, Susan of Wiggins; six daughters, Diann Dalrymple of Hudson, Florida; Debbie Williams, and her husband, Dale of Taylorsville, Gail Lowry, and her husband, Jimmy of Gulfport; Marsha Wade, and her husband, Steve of Ellisville; LeNae Gentry of Mount Olive; and Fronda Reed of Plano, Texas; sixteen grandchildren; and eighteen great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Billy M. King-Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Collins. Family and friends may sign an online register book at www.billymkingcolonialchapel.com