May Era Gentry, 93, of Newton, Kansas,
passed away, Saturday, July 30, 2022, at Newton Medical Center. May
Era was born December 23, 1928, to Alvan Eugene and Mildred Lenora
(Coles) Essary in rural Cleveland County, Oklahoma. May Era was the
third of six children. May Era was raised in rural Cleveland County,
Oklahoma. May Era attended Brendle School graduating from 8th grade
in 1942, attended Norman High School graduating in 1946, attended
Oklahoma University graduating with a Bachelor of Science in
Education Degree in 1967, and a Master of Library Science Degree in
1968. May Era Essary married Robert A Gentry on June 11, 1948, at the
Gentry family home in Pottawatomie County. They made their home in
Tecumseh, Oklahoma, where May Era was a wife and homemaker. In 1954
they purchased a trailer house and lived in several different towns
in Oklahoma. In 1960 they were able to move to a house in Norman,
Oklahoma where they lived until they moved back to Tecumseh, Oklahoma
in 1994. May worked for the Norman Public Schools as a first-grade
teacher at Jackson Elementary School for twenty years. May was a
charter member of the Tecumseh First Assembly of God Church and while
in Norman a member of the Norman New Hope Assembly of God Church. She
was a Sunday School secretary and helped with vacation Bible schools.
May loved reading and would always have a variety of things to read.
May enjoyed sewing and crochet. She made dresses for her daughter and
shirts for her son. She made several quilts and loved making all four
grandchildren a quilt when they graduated from high school. May
crocheted doilies and afghans. She made afghans for all four
grandchildren when they graduated from college with Master?s
degrees. May and her daughter were working on afghans for her great
grandchildren when she passed. May enjoyed working in her yard. May
loved eagles and really enjoyed seeing eagles flying over the Platte
River in Nebraska on one of her visits. May was very pleased that all
three grandsons joined the Boy Scouts of America and all achieved the
rank of Eagle Scout. May has several collections she enjoyed
including, eagle pictures, eagle plates, eagle figurines, bells,
angels, nativities, music boxes, Hummel figurines, and mice
figurines. May Era was preceded in death by her parents, husband,
Robert (Bobby) A Gentry, son, Paul William Gentry; two sisters,
Alberta Lee Rider and Esther Essary; and two brothers, Dale Essary
and James Donald Essary. May is survived by her daughter and
son-in-law, Marvella and Charlie James, Sr., of Newton, Kansas: four
grandchildren, Charlie Jr. and wife, Becky Lynn James, of Pinckney,
Michigan, Becky and husband, John Liston, of Council Bluffs, Iowa,
Tim James, of Olathe, Kansas, and Ron and wife, Aja James, of
Humboldt, Kansas; eight great-grandchildren, Amanda and husband, Joe
Clanton, Bridgette and husband, Matt Watson, and Tony and wife,
Sydney Liston, all of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Logan James and Alivia
James, both of Burlington, Kansas, Taevyn Baylor, Brylee Napier, and
Tylan Baylor all of Humboldt, Kansas; eight
great-great-grandchildren, Audrey Clanton, Gracelynn Clanton, Ella
Watson, Andi Watson, John Watson, Brooks Liston, Beckham Liston, and
Banks Liston, all of Council Bluffs, Iowa; one sister, Lou Ann
Parson, of Eureka Springs, Arkansas; one sisterin- law, Beverly
Essary, of Norman, Oklahoma; and a host of nieces, nephews, and
extended family and friends. In lieu of flowers the family has
designated Tecumseh First Assembly of God Transformation Fund or
Newton, Kansas, Meals on Wheels for memorials. Graveside Committal
service at Tecumseh Cemetery will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, August
13, 2022. Celebration of Life service at Tecumseh First Assembly of
God with Reverend Don Jonker officiating and Reverend Chad Brodrick
assisting will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 13, 2022.
Arrangements are under the direction of both funeral homes. Petersen
Funeral Home 215 North Main Street Newton, Kansas 67114 To share
memories or to sign the guest book online, go to
www.petersenfamilyfuneral.com. Cooper Funeral Home 210 West Walnut
Tecumseh, Oklahoma 74873 To share memories, or to sign the guest book
on-line, go to www.cooperfuneral.com.
