Mary Martin Gentry

Mrs. Mary Martin Gentry, 86, of State Road passed away peacefully Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home. Mrs. Gentry was born in Elkin on October 20, 1934 to Ralph and Ruth Thompson Martin.

She was a graduate of Mars Hill College and University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she majored in both music and business.  She spent over fifty years in the field of church music, serving churches in Virginia and North Carolina, and as a private piano instructor until her retirement in 1998.  Following college graduation she worked briefly as a secretary for the FBI in Charlotte.  After she and Jack Austin Gentry were married on October 25, 1958 the couple moved to Lynchburg, Virginia where she was organist and choir director at Old Forest Road Methodist Church, an instructor in private piano, and, for several years, secretary for the Lynchburg office of the Virginia Wildlife Commission.  Mary and Jack returned to the Elkin area in 1980 and Mary first served First Baptist Church of Jonesville as minister of music.  Her music ministry then ended where it began, at Elkin Valley Baptist Church where she was minister of music from 1983 until her retirement in 1998.  She was first hired there as church pianist in 1947 at the age of thirteen.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents and by two sisters, Norma Martin Hensley (July 22, 1993) and an infant who was born and died November 19, 1944.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 62 years, Jack Gentry; a son, Dr. Joel Gentry (Shirene) of High Point; a brother, Alan Martin of Louisville, Kentucky; and grandsons, Austin Gentry of Houston, Texas and Forrest Gentry of Greenville, South Carolina.

The family suggests that memorials be made to Elkin Valley Baptist Church, 118 North Elkin Drive, Elkin, NC 28621 or to Mountain Valley Hospice, 688 North Bridge Street, Elkin, NC  28621.

A funeral service will be conducted Friday, September 10, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Elkin Valley Baptist Church with Dr. Johnny Blevins, Dr. Joel Gentry, and Mr. Austin Gentry officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:30 – 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church.

The family would like to thank the staff of Mountain Valley Hospice and the staff of Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice home for their care.