Daphne Abel "Granny Daffy" Gentry

Daphne Abel "Granny Daffy" Gentry, 74, of the Emory community of Washington County passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008, in Johnston Memorial Hospital. She was born in Tazewell County, the daughter of the late Charles & Mary Peery Abel and was preceded in death by her loving husband, William Thomas Gentry Sr., granddaughter, Ashlie Michele Gentry, three sisters, Mildred Abel Irvin, Shirley Abel Sandefur, Alverta Abel Hager and one brother, Charles Curtis Abel. She was a graduate of Rich Valley High School where she was the salutatorian of the Class of 1952. She had worked at the Meadowview Elementary School and was retired from Emory & Henry College where she served as assistant to the treasurer of Emory & Henry. She was of the Presbyterian faith. She is survived by her son, William "Tom" Gentry and wife, Kathy, of Roanoke; one daughter, Robin Gentry Frost and husband, Jack, of Abingdon; cherished grandchildren, Autumn Gentry Morton and husband, Brian, and son Bryce of Hendersonville, N.C., and Hunter Watson, Blake Watson and Colby Frost of Abingdon; two sisters, Irene C. McNelly and husband, Bill,of Glade Spring and Judy Cook Thompson of Abingdon; three brothers, Danny Hugh Abel of Bluefield, Va., James Hunter "Bub" Abel and wife, Peggy, of Tazewell and O.D. Cook Jr. and wife, Nancy, of Glade Spring; a very special sister-in-law, whom she greatly loved, Mary Gentry of Meadowview; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services for Daphne Abel Gentry were conducted Nov. 28 in the Frost Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jerry A. Eggers officiating. Burial was in the Mt. Rose Cemetery in Glade Spring. Active Pallbearers were Rick Gentry, Mike Gentry, Gary Boyd, Hunter Watson, Blake Watson, Colby Frost, Mike Hager and Steve Woods. Honorary Pallbearers were Rick Buchanan, Benny Tolley, Brian Morton and Jim Odum. Flowers will be accepted or donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association, 211 Center Park Drive, Suite 310, Knoxville, TN 37922 in memory of Daphne Abel Gentry. The family is very appreciative to the doctors and the nurses that gave special attention and care to Daphne while she was in the Critical Care Unit of Johnston Memorial Hospital. They are special individuals who were attentive to the needs of both Daphne and to her family. Online condolences can be submitted to the family at www.frostfuneralhome.com. Frost Funeral Home of Abingdon is serving the family of "Granny Daffy" Gentry.