Joseph Carroll Gentry, 66, of Virginia Beach died Thursday, Nov. 20, at home after a long and valiant battle with cancer.
He was born April 8, 1948, in Harrisonburg, Va., and was the son of Lawrence D. "Sam" Gentry of Elkton and the late Virginia Graham Gentry. He graduated from Elkton (Va.) High School in 1966 and the University of Tennessee in 1976, and had a long and storied career as a successful swim coach and educator.
On July 27, 1990, he married the former Deborah Jones, who survives. Also surviving, in addition to his wife and father, are a sister, Martha Gentry of Virginia Beach; a brother, Bill Gentry, of Grottoes, Va., a niece, Meredith Guzman and a nephew, Ben Gentry.
A star athlete in high school, he participated in football, basketball, track and golf, including as a member of the 1964 District M football champions. He also ran track at Bridgewater College before transferring to the University of Tennessee to finish his education and pursue a coaching career under the tutelage of legendary swim coach Ray Bussard. Gentry guided the Cox High School swimming teams to dozens of Beach District championships and a host of region titles. That run included leading the Cox boys to the Group AAA state title in 2012 and a state runner-up finish in 2011. Gentry spent 21 years as a college coach 15 at Tennessee and six at Old Dominion. He left ODU in 1991. After coaching Norfolk Academy for a year and then moving to North Carolina, Gentry returned to Hampton Roads to become Cox's first head coach in 1995. The Falcons were a Beach District juggernaut from the start and by 2012 before the Virginia High School League's reclassification Gentry guided the Cox girls to every district title and eight Eastern Region crowns. The boys won nine region championships before 2012.Gentry coached nine individual boy state champions and three boys' relay state champions during his tenure at Cox.In 2014, he won the National Federation of High Schools Virginia Girls Swim & Dive Coach of the Year award. He was also named 2003 Teacher of the Year at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach and was named Distinguished Teacher of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 at Cox.
His body was donated to the Virginia Anatomical Society. There will be a visitation 6-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at the H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments at 2002 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Eastern Shore Chapel at 2020 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Animal Resources of Tidewater.
~H. D. Oliver Funeral Obituary, November 27, 2014
He was born April 8, 1948, in Harrisonburg, Va., and was the son of Lawrence D. "Sam" Gentry of Elkton and the late Virginia Graham Gentry. He graduated from Elkton (Va.) High School in 1966 and the University of Tennessee in 1976, and had a long and storied career as a successful swim coach and educator.
On July 27, 1990, he married the former Deborah Jones, who survives. Also surviving, in addition to his wife and father, are a sister, Martha Gentry of Virginia Beach; a brother, Bill Gentry, of Grottoes, Va., a niece, Meredith Guzman and a nephew, Ben Gentry.
A star athlete in high school, he participated in football, basketball, track and golf, including as a member of the 1964 District M football champions. He also ran track at Bridgewater College before transferring to the University of Tennessee to finish his education and pursue a coaching career under the tutelage of legendary swim coach Ray Bussard. Gentry guided the Cox High School swimming teams to dozens of Beach District championships and a host of region titles. That run included leading the Cox boys to the Group AAA state title in 2012 and a state runner-up finish in 2011. Gentry spent 21 years as a college coach 15 at Tennessee and six at Old Dominion. He left ODU in 1991. After coaching Norfolk Academy for a year and then moving to North Carolina, Gentry returned to Hampton Roads to become Cox's first head coach in 1995. The Falcons were a Beach District juggernaut from the start and by 2012 before the Virginia High School League's reclassification Gentry guided the Cox girls to every district title and eight Eastern Region crowns. The boys won nine region championships before 2012.Gentry coached nine individual boy state champions and three boys' relay state champions during his tenure at Cox.In 2014, he won the National Federation of High Schools Virginia Girls Swim & Dive Coach of the Year award. He was also named 2003 Teacher of the Year at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach and was named Distinguished Teacher of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 at Cox.
His body was donated to the Virginia Anatomical Society. There will be a visitation 6-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at the H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments at 2002 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Eastern Shore Chapel at 2020 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Animal Resources of Tidewater.
~H. D. Oliver Funeral Obituary, November 27, 2014
Joseph Carroll Gentry, 66, of Virginia Beach died Thursday, Nov. 20, at home after a long and valiant battle with cancer.
He was born April 8, 1948, in Harrisonburg, Va., and was the son of Lawrence D. "Sam" Gentry of Elkton and the late Virginia Graham Gentry. He graduated from Elkton (Va.) High School in 1966 and the University of Tennessee in 1976, and had a long and storied career as a successful swim coach and educator.
On July 27, 1990, he married the former Deborah Jones, who survives. Also surviving, in addition to his wife and father, are a sister, Martha Gentry of Virginia Beach; a brother, Bill Gentry, of Grottoes, Va., a niece, Meredith Guzman and a nephew, Ben Gentry.
A star athlete in high school, he participated in football, basketball, track and golf, including as a member of the 1964 District M football champions. He also ran track at Bridgewater College before transferring to the University of Tennessee to finish his education and pursue a coaching career under the tutelage of legendary swim coach Ray Bussard. Gentry guided the Cox High School swimming teams to dozens of Beach District championships and a host of region titles. That run included leading the Cox boys to the Group AAA state title in 2012 and a state runner-up finish in 2011. Gentry spent 21 years as a college coach 15 at Tennessee and six at Old Dominion. He left ODU in 1991. After coaching Norfolk Academy for a year and then moving to North Carolina, Gentry returned to Hampton Roads to become Cox's first head coach in 1995. The Falcons were a Beach District juggernaut from the start and by 2012 before the Virginia High School League's reclassification Gentry guided the Cox girls to every district title and eight Eastern Region crowns. The boys won nine region championships before 2012.Gentry coached nine individual boy state champions and three boys' relay state champions during his tenure at Cox.In 2014, he won the National Federation of High Schools Virginia Girls Swim & Dive Coach of the Year award. He was also named 2003 Teacher of the Year at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach and was named Distinguished Teacher of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 at Cox.
His body was donated to the Virginia Anatomical Society. There will be a visitation 6-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at the H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments at 2002 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Eastern Shore Chapel at 2020 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Animal Resources of Tidewater.
~H. D. Oliver Funeral Obituary, November 27, 2014
He was born April 8, 1948, in Harrisonburg, Va., and was the son of Lawrence D. "Sam" Gentry of Elkton and the late Virginia Graham Gentry. He graduated from Elkton (Va.) High School in 1966 and the University of Tennessee in 1976, and had a long and storied career as a successful swim coach and educator.
On July 27, 1990, he married the former Deborah Jones, who survives. Also surviving, in addition to his wife and father, are a sister, Martha Gentry of Virginia Beach; a brother, Bill Gentry, of Grottoes, Va., a niece, Meredith Guzman and a nephew, Ben Gentry.
A star athlete in high school, he participated in football, basketball, track and golf, including as a member of the 1964 District M football champions. He also ran track at Bridgewater College before transferring to the University of Tennessee to finish his education and pursue a coaching career under the tutelage of legendary swim coach Ray Bussard. Gentry guided the Cox High School swimming teams to dozens of Beach District championships and a host of region titles. That run included leading the Cox boys to the Group AAA state title in 2012 and a state runner-up finish in 2011. Gentry spent 21 years as a college coach 15 at Tennessee and six at Old Dominion. He left ODU in 1991. After coaching Norfolk Academy for a year and then moving to North Carolina, Gentry returned to Hampton Roads to become Cox's first head coach in 1995. The Falcons were a Beach District juggernaut from the start and by 2012 before the Virginia High School League's reclassification Gentry guided the Cox girls to every district title and eight Eastern Region crowns. The boys won nine region championships before 2012.Gentry coached nine individual boy state champions and three boys' relay state champions during his tenure at Cox.In 2014, he won the National Federation of High Schools Virginia Girls Swim & Dive Coach of the Year award. He was also named 2003 Teacher of the Year at Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach and was named Distinguished Teacher of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 at Cox.
His body was donated to the Virginia Anatomical Society. There will be a visitation 6-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at the H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments at 2002 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Eastern Shore Chapel at 2020 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Animal Resources of Tidewater.
~H. D. Oliver Funeral Obituary, November 27, 2014
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