Leo E. Gentry, 76, of Holts Summit, passed away with his loving wife by his side, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born on August 12, 1943, in Louisiana, Missouri, a son of the late Leonard and Edith (Poolman) Gentry. He was united in marriage on August 26, 1988, to Linda Hughes in Jefferson City. Leo was a 1961 graduate of Montgomery County R-II High School where he attended Boys' State in 1960. He was the class president for two consecutive years and was a Boy Scout. Leo served his country in the United States Army from 1961 to 1964. When he returned to Missouri, he attended Central Missouri State University where he graduated with a degree in Law Enforcement in 1968. After graduation he went on to attend the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy and was a graduate of the 36th recruit class in 1968. While attending college, Leo worked as a police officer for the Sedalia Police Department. He went on to work as a trooper on the road for the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop H. In 1978, he relocated to Troop F where he worked as Governors Security for Governors Christopher Bond, Joseph Teasdale and John Ashcroft. He was a guardian of the state until his retirement in 1994. He had a second career working for the Missouri Department of Social Services in welfare fraud. Leo was a member of the Holts Summit Lions Club and the American Legion. Leo had a strong Christian faith and showed in his actions every day. He was forever a faithful servant to all, whether it was for our Country, our State, his work for with the Lions Club, for his friends, but mostly his service to his family. No matter how crazy the project a family member would come up with, Leo was the first one to jump up and get started. His grand pets will forever miss him as well as he provided the babysitting when his grandkids or kids would abandon them with him to go play. If he wasn't busy fixing something, making something for the family or saving us from crazy ideas we would come up with, you would find him attending his grandchildren's' functions, fishing, watching baseball, playing cards, going to a casino, wood working or watching his beloved favorite John Wayne movies. His favorite thing to say when asked how he was doing is "I'm doing better than I was, when I wasn't doing very well". Along with his wife of 32 years, Linda, he is survived by his sons: Kelly Hughes (Debbie) and Casey Hughes (Angel); daughters: Meg Ponder (Rocky) and Becki Wiggins (Kevin); sister: Nancy Zaagsma; sister-in-law: Sue Gentry; grandchildren: Kyle Hughes, Haley Hughes, Alec Hughes, Marisa Hughes, Hayden Rockers, Sam Ponder, Noah Rockers, Grant Rockers and Miles Rockers; great-grandchildren: Mia Bartlett, Lincoln Hughes, Dylan Bartlett, Maisy Martin, River Rockers, Hadlei Rockers, and James Leo Rockers. He was preceded in death by his parents, son: Devin Hughes and brother: Bill Gentry.
Graveside services with full military honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2020, at Hawthorn Memorial Gardens. The funeral procession will depart Houser-Millard Funeral Home at 10:45 a.m. escorted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Jefferson City Police Department and Jefferson City Fire Department. The public is welcome to join the procession. A celebration of Leo's life will be held immediately following services at the Memorial Park Pavilion in Jefferson City.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Eye Bank or the Holts Summit Lions Club.
Arrangements are pending and are under the direction of HOUSER-MILLARD Funeral Directors, 2613 West Main Street, Jefferson City, MO 65109. (573) 636-3838.
Condolences may be left for the family online at www.millardfamilychapels.com