Hazel Eileen Gentry

Big Lake resident Hazel Eileen Gentry, 95, died Jan. 30, 2012, at Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage.

A memorial service in honor of Hazel will be held in the spring at Angelus Memorial Park, 440 East Klatt Road, Anchorage.

Hazel was born Dec. 10, 1916, in Person County, Roxboro, N.C., the daughter of Caster and Gladys (Tuck) Dixon. She was the eldest of five children.

In 1937, she married Earl Gentry and in 1945 the couple relocated to southern California with their two young daughters and their son Duane was born there. Her husband operated a crane for Dow Chemical.

In 1952, her husband found work in Alaska. After several months, he returned to California for the family. In February 1953, they headed to Alaska, arriving in Anchorage March 4, 1953. They built a home in West Anchorage, homesteaded in the Meadow Lakes area and bought and managed the Blue Jay Mobile Home Park near Kenai.

After retirement in 1978, they resided between North Carolina and Alaska until her husband's death in August 1990. Hazel returned to Alaska permanently in 2000 to be near her family.

During her lifetime, Hazel loved to travel and she visited most of the scenic and historic sites within all 50 states. She loved flowers and gardening and musical get-togethers with family and friends. She was very admirable with her knowledge and stories she shared with all. She blessed the lives of many with her grace, sense of humor and unconditional smile and will be sorely missed within the hearts of her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl D. Gentry, and son, Duane Earl Gentry.

She is survived by her daughter, Roseline and husband Glenn Olsen of Big Lake; daughter, Sylvia and Husband Gary W. Webb of Nikiski; grandchildren, Cheryl Davis of Big Lake, Lonny Webb of Jupiter, Fla., Shannon Webb, Terra Murphy, Tami Vincent all of Nikiski; great-grandchildren, Haley TumSuden of Nikiski, DeOnna Webb of Jupiter, Fla., Cassandra Davis of Big Lake, Katelyn TumSuden and Allyson Vincent, Molly Elizabeth TumSuden, Josiah Webb and Jakob Murphy of Nikiski.

Family cared for by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory.