William R. Gentry

William Ramon "Bill" Gentry passed away on July 15, 2026, at the age of 92, surrounded by the love of his family. Born November 18, 1933, Bill began his career in service to his country as a member of the United States Air Force. He went on to a distinguished career as an aerospace engineer, contributing to some of the most significant achievements in American spaceflight. His career took him through Bell Aerospace and Boeing, where he worked on the booster engines of the Saturn V rocket that carried astronauts to the Moon. He later spent many years at the Michoud Assembly Facility with Martin Marietta, later Lockheed Martin, working on the Space Shuttle's external fuel tank. He was awarded an important patent involving friction stir welding vital to the tank's assembly process. His career reflected the qualities that defined him throughout his life: intelligence, ingenuity, perseverance, and an enduring desire to understand how things worked.

Bill's engineer's mind never rested at the office door. A lifelong tinkerer and problem-solver, he relished the challenge of diagnosing and repairing anything put in front of him: cars, electronics, computers, and everything else around the house. Nothing stayed broken for long in Bill's home.

He was also an avid and accomplished bridge player throughout his life. He enjoyed the strategy, concentration, and companionship of the game and devoted many happy hours to mastering it.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Vivien Gentry; his daughter, Mary Gentry; his son, David Gentry, and daughter-in-law, Jessica Gentry; and his cherished granddaughter, Genevieve Gentry.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation on Monday, July 20, 2026, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., with a Funeral Mass to follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place at Metairie Cemetery in All Saints Mausoleum. To view and sign the Family online guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com