Mary Pence Gentle

Mrs. Mary Pence Gentle, 87, formerly of Brantley Road, Kannapolis, died Monday, August 8, 2005, at Liberty Commons in Salisbury. She was born November 6, 1917 in Rowan County, and was the daughter of the late Richard H. Pence and Annie Steele Pence, and wife of the late Horace "Jack" Gentle. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, August 11, 2005, at Calvary Baptist Church. Dr. Dale Tanner and the Rev. Max Smith will officiate. Interment will follow at Carolina Memorial Park. The body will remain at Lady's Funeral Home until taken to the church 30 minutes prior to the service. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 10, 2005, at Lady's Funeral Home. Mrs. Gentle was a member of Calvary Baptist Church (having served in many capacities), a long-term employee of Cannon Mills, and an avid gardener and homemaker. She was preceded in death by a son, Lt. Col. Horace Stephen "Steve" Gentle; and three brothers, Robert Pence, Earl Pence and wife, Helen, and Eugene Pence. Survivors include two grandsons, Tracey Scot Gentle of Forest Hills, NY and Todd A. Gentle and wife, Mary, of Raleigh; great-granddaughter, Keighley Gentle; daughter-in-law, Betty Obremski and husband, Ron, of Raleigh; brother, Milton R. Pence and wife, Ruby, of Kannapolis; sister, Margaret F. Cook and husband, Robert, of Salisbury; sisters-in-law, Nookie Pence of Cooleemee, and Alleen Pence of Kannapolis. Memorials may be sent to Calvary Baptist Church, 703 Buick Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28083.