Charles Edward Gentry passed away peacefully on May 15, 2026, with the strength and dignity that matched the kindness, wisdom, and love he put out into the world. He is survived by his adored wife, Linda Gentry; his daughters and their spouses, Jessica and Michael McCall and Natalie and Mike Gorman; his grandchildren, Meredith McCall, Lucia Gorman, and Wiley Gorman; and his siblings, Edwin Gentry, Jennie Simpson, Patti Morris, Gene Gentry, Chris Gentry, and Wendy Eggleston.

Charles was born Kazumi Yamashita in Tokyo, Japan, on March 12, 1950. The start of his life held both love and sadness, and in 1951, Charles’ round face and blonde hair caught the eye and heart of Fern Marcrum Gentry, whose husband, Edward, was stationed in Tokyo. Now a family of three, they returned home and eventually settled in San Antonio, Texas, where Charles grew up as the oldest of six siblings, all of whom he loved dearly, alongside a large extended family including cousins JoAnn Cloud and Paul Barney.

After graduating high school, Charles attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he earned the respect of professors like Dr. John Silber. He supported fellow students through his work in student affairs administration at the University and remained there for several formative years before beginning a long and distinguished career in Human Resources.

Charles started at Mitchell Energy & Development Corp. in 1977, where he led development and diversity programs throughout the 1980s that reshaped HR standards throughout the industry. He later transitioned from Energy to Technology, spending the next 15 years helping guide international growth and change at Compaq Computer Corp., and Dell Computer Corp. He concluded his Human Resources career back in the Energy field, sharing his experience and leadership with Devon Energy.

Throughout his career, Charles was an anchor to the people he worked with, known for thoughtful and deeply professional leadership. Still, his greatest accomplishments were his life with Linda, his best friend and wife, being a generous and loving father to Jessica and Natalie, and a doting grandfather to Meredith, Lucia, and Wiley. Charles made it a priority to show his family that the world is a big place, worthy of exploration, inquiry, patience, and respect. He believed that, with an open mind and heart, our intuitions will serve us best, and that caring for our loved ones is the most important and wonderful thing someone can do. And that if all of this is done with The Chieftains playing in the background, all the better.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the skilled and loyal caregivers who shared their expertise and time with Charles. In place of a formal service, the family will hold an intimate memorial at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Charles’ name to a local Alzheimer’s Association.