Dr. Junior Joseph Gentles

Dr. Junior Gentles transitioned from this place to be with his loving Father on September 17th, 2025. Junior was born at Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, to Daphne Gayle and Charles Brown on September 10th, 1949. He was then adopted at a young age by Teman Uriah Gentles and his wife, Julia Gentles, and grew up in Mulgrave, St. Elizabeth, JA. After leaving Mulgrave, Junior attended Clarendon College, and upon graduating and reaching adulthood, he joined the Jamaica Police Force. Junior then left the police force and changed careers to become an insurance agent. He then migrated to America and resided in California until 2020.

Upon arriving in California, Junior embarked on a career in car sales and experienced considerable success. Junior displayed grit and tenacity by teaching Computer Science at Devry University, while also pursuing a PhD in Education from Argosy University, upon which the title of Doctor was conferred on him. Dr. Junior Gentles’s life didn’t only include work and studying; He was also an avid cricket and dominoes player, where he thrived on the spirit of competition. Junior, affectionately referred to as JR by family and close friends, was quite patriotic to his Jamaican culture and would therefore seek out any opportunity to be a part of various Jamaican associations and groups while living in California, one of which was the Jamaica California Association. JR would eagerly look forward to the annual JCA banquet, where he would have the opportunity to commiserate with fellow Jamaicans.

After leaving California, Dr. Gentles spent the last few years of his life living in Port Saint Lucie, Florida, where he continued teaching Computer Science online classes and assisting potential PHD candidates with their dissertations. He was also a substitute teacher for middle to high school students in the Port Saint Lucie School District. Furthermore, Dr. Gentles was an integral part of the Port St. Lucie and Palm Bay Jamaica Ex-Police Association, where he was the Treasurer. JR was also well known for his oratory abilities and relished any opportunity to engage in rigorous debates to defend his position with family, friends, peers, and anyone else he came into contact with. To those who knew JR well, he was a gentle giant who would give you his last, but if you got on his wrong side, he wouldn’t hesitate to tell you exactly how he felt by not mincing his words. In addition, more than anything, Junior thoroughly enjoyed Jamaican food, especially fish, jerk chicken, and ackee and saltfish.

Junior is survived by four children: Charmaine Gentles, Jasmine Walker, Stephen Gentles, and JoAnn Gentles; three grandchildren: K.C. Walker, Trevon Walker, and Joshua Karnes; Junior is also survived by four brothers and two sisters (and nieces /nephews): Desmond Brown (Calvin Brown, Mark Brown, Sandra Reid), Roy Brown (Terry Brown, Dmitre Brown, Donte Brown), Vernon Brown (Kaye Brown), Bartholomew Brown (Brian Boucher), Althea Brown (Novlette Boothe, Sheryl Burrows, Suzzette Burrows, Karen Burrows, Howard Barrett), Carlene Williams (Jodi Ann Venna, Andrew Williams). Junior was predeceased in death by siblings Vin Brown (Dave Brown, Dino Brown, Daemone Brown), Donald Brown, Lashburn Mattis, and Alesia Brown.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 1:00 PM. The location of the service and the repast will take place at Aycock at Tradition Funeral Home, 1271 Tradition Parkway, Port St. Lucie, 34987.