Mary Jane Winde Gentry

Mary Jane Winde Gentry

Mary Jane Winde Gentry died peacefully on October 4, 2017, in the embrace of family and community, with the dedicated Wake Robin staff by her side. Loving her during life, and treasuring her many gifts, are the children she raised with her beloved husband, Stokes, and their families: son Brad, spouse Eugenie Isbrandtsen, and children Paige and Cyrus; daughter MaryLynn, spouse Christopher Riley, and children Samantha and Meredith; and daughter Sarah, spouse Marc Tischler, and children Jacob and Ethan.

Surviving family also include Stokes' sister, Mary Call, spouse David, and children Laura, David, Barbara, and Carolyn. Also surviving are nieces and nephew, Sally Cortina, Rick Winde, and Polly Surhoff, the children of her late brother, Hank Winde, and Hanks surviving spouse Carol Emerick.

Mary Jane cultivated many special relationships. Most important to her was building community - strong supportive communities. She combined a gracious, accommodating nature with a keen mind and fierce determination. These qualities worked in harmony to remarkable effect, from raising her family and supporting Stokes, to high levels of engagement and productivity in numerous community organizations, including Vermont's Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Council, National Alliance of Children's Trust Funds, Vermont's Children and Family Council for Prevention Program, Lund Family Center, VETEC, Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, The Town of St. George School Board, and Champlain College.

Mary Jane also played key leadership roles in establishing The Vermont Children's Trust Foundation, launching the Champlain Valley High School Duo Program, and assisting in the transformation of Shelburne Farms into a non-profit educational organization, on whose board she served from its inception until 2016. In partnership with Stokes and a dedicated group of talented friends, she was also instrumental in the founding and development of Vermont's first continuing life care community, Wake Robin.

A force of nature, her caring and giving ways gathered friends from far and wide. Other special relationships were cultivated through her tennis groups at the Burlington Tennis Club and Twin Oaks, the Pediatric Travel Club, the Swarthmore and Burlington Chapters of PEO, and Burlington's Klifa Club.

Born in Waynesboro, Virginia, Mary Jane attended Swarthmore College where she and Stokes met. One would argue that raising her family was her greatest love. Second to that were her home in St. George where she and Stokes firmly set their roots, and the family camp at Bisby, in the Adirondacks.

With her in her next journey are her brother, Hank, and Hank's surviving spouse, Carol Emerick, her parents, Norman and Gertrude Winde, and her husband Stokes, with fly rods, hiking boots, and passports in hand.

A Celebration of Mary Jane's life will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, December 16, 2017, at All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne, Vermont. Mary Jane asked that contributions be directed to Shelburne Farms or The Vermont Children's Trust Foundation. On her behalf, the family would like to express its deepest gratitude to all of the dear friends, colleagues, and caring professionals in this remarkable community for the support and kindnesses so graciously and generously given to Mary Jane and to the entire family.

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