Emma Gene (Seale) Gentry

A beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she was born in Dallas, Texas, to Roberta Josephine (Walther) and Adren Ford Seale. She graduated from Denison High School in 1936, and Texas State College for Women, Denton, Texas, in 1940.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Herbert Richard Gentry Sr.; her sister Patricia (Seale) Helms of Mandeville, Louisiana; and her cousin Barbara Lynette McClung of Austin and Santa Fe, New Mexico, with whom she was especially close.

Surviving her is her daughter Barbara Ann (Gentry) Sunday; son Herbert R. "Rick" Gentry Jr. and wife Sharon, all of Austin; and son David Lee Gentry and wife Liza of Lago Vista.

She is also survived by her sister Virginia (Seale) Hopper of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

An avid gardener, she also had a lifelong passion for genealogy and spent many hours researching her family tree in archives, cemeteries, and courthouses in Texas, Utah, England and virtually all points in between. She was a founding member of the Austin Genealogical Society and its first treasurer. She also belonged to various genealogical societies including the Texas State Genealogical Society, National Genealogical Society, Society of Genealogists (London, England), and the Le Cercle Genealogique (Strassbourg, France). She was the author and co-author of several genealogical books, one of which is located in the permanent collection of the City Library of New York City. In her 50 year journey as a genealogist, she made notes, in beautiful cursive script, on some 200,000 three by five cards. She was unstinting both in sharing with other genealogists and historians the fruit of her searches, and in counseling the less experienced in both sources and effective conduct of their genealogical pursuits.

She put her degree in fashion and clothing design to use throughout her life, not only making clothing for her children and other family members, but also wisely instructing her children in the practical aspects of the sciences, cooking and smartly and efficiently managing their lives.

Her needlepoint Christmas stockings and the many quilts she made for her family were works of art as well as expressions of her love for them.

As a grammarian and student of literature – especially detective novels – she encouraged others to read and learn how to use a dictionary.

Throughout most of her adult life, she was active in All Saints Episcopal Church. During her later years, she regularly took church flowers to others and contributed many hours to the Fish Program.

Surviving grandchildren are: Karen Lynn (Sunday) Gillum and husband Earl "Dub" Jr. of Granbury, Steven Michael "Steve" Sunday and wife Agnes of Fort Worth, and their father Mike Sunday of Fort Worth; David Paul Gentry of Birmingham, Alabama; Mark Christopher Gentry and wife Stacey of Lubbock; and Mary Michelle (Gentry) Salakka of San Antonio; and Richard Seale Gentry and John Shadid Gentry, and their mother Martha E. Smiley, all of Austin; great-grandchildren Erica Michelle and Lauren Taylor Gillum of Granbury, and Christopher Steven Sunday of Fort Worth; and Aiden Walker Gentry of Alice, Texas.

She is also survived by step grandchildren Monica Kasparek Luxon and husband Ryan of San Antonio, Tracy Kasparek Elaguizy and husband Amir of Austin, and Rynna Wanberg, and Kenyan and Zachary Burnham of Lubbock.

Surviving nieces are: Patricia Kathryn "Kathy" (Helms) Kidd and husband Clark of Potomac Falls, Virginia; Sandra Dee "Sandee" (Helms) Conway of Folsom, Louisiana; Susan Elizabeth "Susie" (Helms) Wiedeman and husband Eddie of Mandeville, Louisiana; Peggy Jane (Hearn) Fuller and husband Judge Hilton Fuller of Atlanta, Georgia; Sheryl Lynn "Sherry" (Hopper) Goldston and husband Col. (ret.) Dennis Goldston of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Dr. Karen Elizabeth Hopper and husband Mike Clark of Memphis, Tennessee; and nephews James Milburn "Jamey" Hopper and wife Janine of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Randolph Seale "Randy" Hopper and wife Elise, of Midland, Michigan.

She is also survived by her cousins Ben H. Brister and wife Jo Linda of McKinney, Texas, and Jo Ann (Seale) Bridges of Greenville, Texas. And she corresponded with and otherwise kept up with her many Walther relatives, although her children could not begin to authoritatively acknowledge them by name or circumstance in is this otherwise detailed commentary on her life.

The funeral service will be held at All Saint's Episcopal Church, 209 West 27th, Austin, Texas, on April 12, 2014, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Her ashes will be interred in the columbarium of the church alongside those of her husband.

The family would like to express its gratitude to Hospice Austin and the staff at the Summit at Northwest Hills for their loving care.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Austin, Texas 78759, or All Saints' Episcopal Church, 209 W. 27th St., Austin, Texas 78705.