Velda Maxine Gentry

Velda Maxine (Little) Gentry was born April 23, 1922, to Sam and Allie Little in Fayetteville, Ark. She passed away Oct. 30, 2012, at the age of 90. Maxine was the oldest of four children. She is survived by one sister, Jean Sivage of Fayetteville; one brother, Don Little of Tulsa, Okla.; and many nieces and nephews. Another brother, Joe, passed away in 1961. She graduated as the salutatorian of her class at Greenland High School then went to Bible College in Minneapolis, Minn. She married Ruff L. Gentry on her birthday, April 23, 1950, and they celebrated 56 years of marriage until Ruff's death in November of 2006. Ruff was a university professor of agronomy and one of the highlights of their life was when they went to Ethiopia for six years to teach the people there how to grow crops. Maxine saw this as an opportunity to be a missionary to everyone she could. On the trips back and forth between here and there, they visited much more of the world. She could talk for hours about the places and things they saw. Max and Ruff had no children of their own but they supported various ministries who provided food and clothing to orphans all over the world. Generous giving to these causes was something they both cared deeply about. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 3, in the Chapel of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home with Pastor Darren Rogers officiating. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., lasting until service time. Burial will follow at Elm Springs Cemetery in Elm Springs, Ark. Memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607-3000. To sign the online guest book please visit www.nelsonberna.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory of Fayetteville.