Colonel George H. Gentry, Jr. USMC Retired, was born in Big Spring, Texas, on April 17, 1929, and passed away peacefully in Houston, Texas, on September 1, 2016. He graduated from Temple High School and in 1947 went on to The University of Texas at Austin where he played football for the Longhorns, became a member of the NROTC, and was commissioned a Marine officer in June, 1951. During his 26 years as a Marine officer, he served as an infantry officer in both Korea and Vietnam, and received numerous awards including the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and 3 Navy commendation medals. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1977. After earning his Master's Degree in History in 1985, he spent 19 years teaching history at Southwest Texas University.

He loved all sports, but golf was his passion and later in life he achieved a hole-in-one and occasionally "shot his age". Most of all he loved God, his wife, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other close family members. He leaves behind his loving wife of 62 years, Emma Jean; his children, George H. Gentry III and wife Christie and Joanna Gentry Ambs and husband Loran; his brother, Thomas Gentry; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

He was a Christian, a Marine, a Longhorn, and a Texan who lived his life with character, honesty, and conviction always striving to do the right thing. Special thanks go to Dr. Iqbal his Oncologist, the Nursing Staff on the 3rd floor of Cy-Fair Hospital, and the caregivers from Houston Hospice.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 10, at Klein Funeral Home - CyFair Northwest, 9719 Wortham Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77065. He will be interred at Houston National Cemetery at a later date.

Hook 'Em and Semper Fi!