Ruth C. (DeRoo) Gentry

Ruth C. Gentry, 89, of Atkinson, passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 28, 2019, at her home, surrounded by her family.  A Funeral Mass to celebrate her life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2019, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Atkinson.  Reverend S. Stephen Engelbrecht will celebrate.  Burial will follow at St. Anthony Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 4 – 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory – Atkinson Chapel.  A Recitation of the Rosary will be held at 3:30 p.m.  Memorials may be directed to the Ruth Gentry Memorial Fund, of which the family will distribute amongst several local charities.

Ruth was born on January 30, 1930, the daughter of Walter and Mayme (Cowells) DeRoo, in Atkinson.  She graduated from Atkinson High School in 1948.  On July 19, 1951, Ruth married Winfred L. Gentry at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Atkinson.  She was a secretary and teacher’s assistant at the Atkinson Grade School for over thirty years, before retiring.  She was a member of St. Anthony’s where she was on the Altar and Rosary Society.  She was very talented at crocheting and loved spending time with her family.

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving husband, Winfred; her children, Michael (Sharon) Gentry, Atkinson, Eugene (Kari) Gentry, Geneseo, Kenneth (Suzi) Gentry, Houston, TX, Kay (Mike) Croegaert, Geneseo, Steve Gentry, Iowa City, IA; grandchildren, Brent (Chris) Gentry, Jason (Andrea) Gentry, Katie (John) Gaspar, Drew Croegaert, Blake (Laurie) Croegaert, Emily Gentry, Ethan Gentry, Melissa Darden, and Lonnie Smith; eleven great-grandchildren; sister, Rosemary Entas, Kewanee.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mayme.