Patsy (Gentry) Coppock

Patsy was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, December 9, 1941, two days after Pearl Harbor. Her parents were Amos Leo Gentry from Knoxville and Cecil Alavada Masingo Gentry from Speedwell, Tennessee. Patsy was a graduate of Holston High School in the second graduating class in 1959 and graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1963 with a degree in Elementary Education. She married her high school sweetheart, Steve, to whom she was married just a few weeks shy of 65 years. Patsy taught public elementary school for 25 years including every year between kindergarten and 6th grade.

Patsy had two sons, Steve and Glenn, whom she loved dearly; both sons graduated from the University of Tennessee with degrees in nuclear engineering. Patsy was good at doing what needed to be done, whether it be at home, at church, at school, or in the neighborhood. She believed love was defined by what a person did more so than what they said or how they felt. Patsy had two capable and loving daughters-in-law, June (Steve in Arizona) and Karen (Glenn in Knoxville). She was particularly proud of her four grandchildren, Stephen in Arizona, and Katherine, Elizabeth, and Thomas in Knoxville.

For 43 of the last 53 years Patsy lived in Louisville, Kentucky where she made numerous friends and acquaintances and was quite active in her church and community. Moving back to Knoxville ten years ago was an adventure but was a good move; Patsy's only sister, Shirley (Doug), and Steve's only brother, Jim (Martha) live in Knoxville along with Patsy's younger son, Glenn (Karen) and several cousins. It was good to get reacquainted with old high school friends who had not been seen in decades.

Patsy is survived by her husband, Steve, both sons, Steve (June) and Glenn (Karen), four grandchildren (Katherine, Stephen, Elizabeth, and Thomas) and one great granddaughter, Evelyn). Patsy is also survived by her sister Shirley (Doug) and several cousins.

Patsy requested that there not be a funeral; instead there will be a virtual celebration of life using both Patsy's and Steve's Facebook accounts and friends lists to share some information about her life along with some photos to express the vitality of her long and productive life.

No flowers please; if you want to celebrate Patsy's life, do something good for someone else, and/or contribute to her Sunday School class that meant so much to her... you can send checks made to New Visions Sunday School Class in care of Concord United Methodist Church, Concord United Methodist Church, 11020 Roane Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37934.