BRENDA B. GENTRY
Mrs. Brenda B. Gentry, 74, Crawford, MS., passed away Thursday, April 11, 2024, at Baptist Memorial Golden Triangle, Columbus, MS. Funeral services are set for Sunday, April 14, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. at Crawford Methodist Church in Crawford, MS. Bro. Daniel Talley will officiate the services. Interment will follow in Oaklimb Cemetery in Crawford, MS. Visitation will be held at the church on Sunday from 1-2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to St Jude Children's Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis TN 38105. Cockrell Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the service arrangements.
Brenda was born in West Point, Mississippi to the late Hubert and Merle Goodson Buchanan. She attended Lee High School in Columbus, MS. On March 11, 1970, she married Charles Gentry and they made their home in Crawford. Brenda worked at Columbus Air Force Base for a period of time after which she became the Human Resources Specialist with Weyerhaeuser. She retired from Weyerhaeuser after thirty years of service. Brenda was a faithful member of Crawford Methodist Church and devoted her time to the children teaching Sunday School, planning activities, and playing an instrumental role in planting the seed of salvation.
She loved her family dearly and was so proud of her children and all their accomplishments and loved to share them with her family and friends, but her pride and joy were her “grand blessings” as she called them. She doted upon and made as many of their sporting events and performances as she could. She loved them dearly.
Brenda was passionate about helping others in need, whether it was taking food to the sick or elderly, sending cards, texting daily words of encouragement, or sending up heartfelt prayers for so many. Her daily life and actions were truly an example of being a dutiful Christian witness.
Brenda is survived by her husband of fifty four years: Charles Gentry of Crawford, MS; a daughter: Kerrie (Sonny) Blissard of West Point, MS; a son, Josh (Lindsey) Gentry of Maben, MS and her five “grand blessings”: Colton and Cameron Blissard and Cayden, Keelie, and Ryland Gentry. She also leaves behind two special blessings who she thought of as her own Christopher and Madi Holcombe of Columbus, her three sisters, Betty Brownlee of Ethelsville, AL, Shirley Taylor of Hamilton, MS; Sissy (Roger) Permenter of Macon, MS and her three brothers: Hubert (Brenda) Buchanan of Caledonia, MS; Doug (Donna) Buchanan of Crawford, MS and Jerry (Teresa) Buchanan of Crawford, MS. Sister in Laws: Shirley Brown of Artesia, MS; Peggy Phillips of Crawford, MS and Billie Noland of Crawford, MS and a host of nieces and nephews.