A Celebration of Life Service for Shirley Gentry, age 76, of Grand Rapids, formerly of Windom and Jeffers, will be held Wednesday, May 29th at 10:30 AM at the American Lutheran Church in Windom, with Pastor Sarah Larsen Tade officiating. Burial will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Windom.

A time of visitation and gathering will be held on Tuesday, May 28th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at The American Lutheran Church in Windom. Visitation will continue Wednesday for one hour prior to the service, from 9:30 to 10:30 AM, at The American Lutheran Church in Windom.

Shirley Kay (Bruns) Gentry was born on June 23, 1947, to the late Fred and Verna (Ackerman) Bruns in Adrian, Minnesota. She attended grade school in Reading, Minnesota, and graduated from Worthington High School in 1965. After graduating, Shirley worked for Cambell's Soup in Worthington.

On April 21, 1973, Shirley was united in marriage to Jerry Dean Gentry, and the union was blessed with two children, Jennifer and Kathy Jo. After marriage, Shirley and Jerry lived in Okabena, where they owned and operated Gentry Grocery Store. They later moved to Jeffers, Minnesota and lived there until Jerry was diagnosed with cancer, and then they moved to Windom in 2020. Earlier this year, she moved to Grand Rapids to live with Kathy.

Shirley was a longtime member of The American Lutheran Church of Windom. Through the years, she worked at various jobs, including Ben Franklin, Mix Bakery, Jeffers City Meat Market, Hardees, and Toro. Shirley retired from working in 2009, and enjoyed more of the things she loved to do. Shirley enjoyed playing Bingo, doing crafts and bowling. She loved her family and cherished her grandbabies.

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, Shirley passed away with family by her side, at her home in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Left to cherish her life and legacy are her daughters, Jennifer Mutz of Windom and Kathy Jo (Justin) Derickson of Grand Rapids; five grandchildren, Gavin, Emily Jo, Eli, Jaxon and Brok; one great-granddaughter, Vienna Florentine; siblings, Bob Bruns of Worthington, Daryl (Lois) Bruns of Fulda, Denny (Maria) Bruns of Dolan Springs, AZ, Mike Bruns of Inwood, IA, Pat (Byron) Johnson of Harrisburg, SD, Bonnie Howard of Riverside, CA and Terresa Kuperus of Sioux Falls, SD; her best friend, Gerri (Gary) Garrison of Omaha, NE; as well as many relatives and friends.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Gentry; parents, Fred and Verna Bruns; parents-in-law, Alice and Ebben Gentry; sisters-in-law, Terri Bruns, Madera Danek, Carol Bruns, and Marj Greven.

Blessed be the memory of Shirley Gentry.