Berneda R. Gentry

On behalf of the Gentry and Stalling family we want to say first all thank you so much for coming to Berneda's home going celebration. Your love, prayers, and ongoing support is greatly appreciated, as Berneda's family go through this most difficult period of their lives.

On Sept. 9, 2012 Berneda Rose Gentry daughter of Dowey and Gracie Rose, went peacefully to be with her Lord (on Kim's and Rachael's birthdays), as the angels of God escorted her to the very presence of God. Now for sure she is "Saved and Healed" as she use to say whenever I came to visit her. A woman of God whom I never heard say one negative thing as she awaited her turn to go home to be with her Lord.

She was born in Kentucky in 1922 and lived most of her life in Ohio with her mother Gracie and 6 siblings, plus her the oldest for about 20 years. She married twice, and had 3 children, Arlene, Judy, and Randy , and came to live in her later years in Norfolk Va., taking her residence in Lakewood Plaza on Tidewater Drive. She was known as the walking lady, as her and Arlene would take many a walks throughout the Norfolk area, until illness forced her to eventually reside with her daughter Arlene, and later in a nursing home. She was saved in the Church of God in Ohio. In Norfolk Va. she attended " Victory Worship Int'l " until she could not attend anymore due to her illness. As her Pastor I remember Berneda as the lady with a bright beaming radiant look of peace and joy, who always gave me a word of encouragement from the Word of God , and always told me how much she loved me because I was her brother in Christ. I will miss her dearly, because it is not always you meet someone who never complained, never saw the wrong, but always prayed, and had a word from God's Word whenever I approached her to talk, and just laugh with me and my crazy antics.

Some of Berneda's hobbies was watching birds and lighthouses, and buying their statues or figurines. She loved the color blue and loved to eat tomatoes prepared in a variety of ways or just plain raw. Over all she was a "mother", her children were her life. Arlene remembers when she was 7 years old their house burned down with all their belongings, and they went to temporally live with some neighbors while Berneda's husband was out to sea. Berneda would just read a story from the Bible and pray with all the children and they knew everything was going to be all right. She had 6 grandchildren: Michael, Mathew, Kim, Shelly, Damon and Erick. 3 Great grand children: Rachael, Luke, and Zoe, and 2 Great, Great grand children: Christian, and Hailey Joye.