GENTRY-DAVIS

 The following bio was taken from page 170 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

  I was born in Henderson, Rusk County on November 21, 1943.  I was a “war baby” I suppose, since World War II was going on at that time.  I am the daughter, the middle child of three, of J. W. and Bea Gentry.

 My dad came from Grayson, County, Texas, to East Texas during the oil boom of the 1930’s.  My mother is practically a native of Rusk County, having come here at the age of three.  The couple were married in Henderson on March 31, 1934.

 All my “growing-up” days were spent in Henderson, attending school and participating in activities of the First Baptist Church.  I loved to sing and still do and enjoyed being in choirs both at church and at school.  My sisters and I like to sing together, as we did at church, and still enjoy harmonizing when we can get together.

 I attended Kilgore Junior College for two years and received an Associate of Business Degree.  I was active in the Baptist Student Union while there and loved the fellowship of Christian friends. 

 After college, I was fortunate to get a job with the State Welfare Department as a clerk-typist.  I worked there for six years.

 While working and living at home, I met my husband-to-be, Jack W. Davis.  He was employed at Safeway Stores and was from Cushing, Texas.  Actually, his parents, Apton and Lovera Davis, had a farm in southern Rusk County, where he and four other children were reared.  We met in May; Uncle Sam drafted him into the army in September; and we became engaged at Christmas.  After waiting for eighteen more months, Jack was discharged and we were married November 25, 1966.

 We had somewhat of an unusual wedding in that it was a double wedding.  My younger sister, Bobby Gail, had become engaged to Buddy Lowe, and we decided it would be really special for us to be married at the same time.  The arrangements worked out beautifully, especially since our bridegrooms were good friends.

 Jack and I lived in Henderson until September 1969, when we moved to Austin, Texas, to go into the service station business. It was a big step leaving family and friends and going into our own business, but we have prospered as a result.

 A blessed event occurred November 16, 1970, when our only child, Susan Elaine, was born.  She has been a joy to us and is growing into quite a young lady.

 We were really fortunate on two occasions during our stay in Austin.  We earned and won two fabulous trips through our business.  The first was to Bermuda and the second to the Bahamas.  They were trips of a lifetime for us and something we will always remember.

 We enjoy living in Austin where we are active as members of Woodlawn Baptist Church and where Jack is able to fish on the beautiful lakes and hunt deer in the hill country.  We also look forward to going back “home” to the piney woods of East Texas whenever we can.

 Submitted by Judy Gentry Davis