The life of Phillip Andrew Gentry, 63, of Decatur will be celebrated Thursday, May 24. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Roselawn Funeral Home. Mr. Gentry died Tuesday, May 15, 2018, at Erlanger Baroness Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn. He was born April 14, 1955, in St. Louis, Mo., to Trina Caudle Gentry and the late Morris Douglas Gentry. Mr. Gentry was communications director for the Earth System Science Center, Office of the State Climatologist, at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
A graduate of Huntsville's Lee High School and Auburn University School of Journalism, he wrote and edited for the Eufaula Tribune, Huntsville News, The Decatur Daily, the Alabama Space and Rocket Center and UA Huntsville's public relations department. Mr. Gentry served four times as president of the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic. He was a Balloonmeister and for many years handled the Alabama Jubilee's publicity and press liaison duties. He was valued as a hot air balloon crew chief and enjoyed storm chasing. Survivors are his wife Lynn Hensel Gentry, son Andrew D. Gentry (Kelly) of Gardendale; daughter Lauren Ann Gentry (Connor Ellis) of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., infant granddaughter Clara Julieanne Gentry of Gardendale, mother Trina Caudle Gentry of Brilliant, and sister Denise Gentry Driggers and nephew Noah Driggers of Columbia, S.C. Interment will take place June 1 at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kirklin Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham or a favorite charity. Please sign the online guest book at www.roselawnfhandcemetery.com
