Wilbur Gentry

With great sadness we announce the passing of Wilbur Gentry of Tijeras, who died on September 22, 2025, at age 81. He was born in Humboldt, Nebraska and raised on a family farm nearby.

He attended Westmar College in Iowa on a baseball scholarship, later transferring to the University of Nebraska where he met his wife of 57 years, Barbara Gentry, and later graduated with an M.A. in anthropology. He served in the Peace Corps in Uruguay and traveled extensively in South America where he became fluent in Spanish. His passion for anthropology led him to New Mexico, where he and Barbara eventually settled and raised their son, John Gentry. He served three years in the Army beginning with a year studying Vietnamese at the Defense Language School at Biggs Field, Fort Bliss, Texas before serving a tour in Vietnam as an interpreter/translator. He returned to his wife, Barbara, and nine-month-old son, John. Wilbur loved the New Mexican landscape, its history, and culture. He was an avid gardener, college football enthusiast (Go Huskers!), and champion griller who especially loved working with his hands. He built his family's home in Tijeras, much of it by hand, where they could look out on the Sandia Mountains in one direction, and Cibola National Forest immediately behind. After some time in outside sales, he acquired Martin Saw and Tool in Albuquerque, which he enjoyed operating for two decades until retirement.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his son, John Gentry (Cinamon); his grandchildren, Ashlyn and Mina Gentry; his sister Eunice McKinley in Topeka Kansas; and brother John A. Gentry in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to Roadrunner Food Bank or Doctors Without Borders.