Obituary of Louise Putnam- Gentry

Louise Putnam Gentry February 10, 1913 to January 25, 2012 The following was written by Louise and it is fitting to have it as she wrote it. Louise was born in the coal mining town of Dacono, Colorado to Ora Neil Putnam and Lillian Adair Putnam. She was their second child, a brother, Neil was four years older. A couple of years later the family moved to Fort Lupton, Where she went to grade and high school. Louise chose to go to college in Greeley, to Colorado State College of Education, now named the University of Northern Colorado. She was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, and majored in Elementary Education and Art. She graduated in 1934 with the then esteemed Life Certificate. She taught one year in the rural community of Nattenburg, Colorado, then returned to Fort Lupton, and taught their for four years. In 1939 Louise married her college sweetheart, David Rollin Gentry of Sterling, Colorado, in Portland, Oregon. A daughter, Denise was born to them in 1945. The Gentry family lived in Burns, Oregon for two years prior to moving to Salem in 1950. A couple of years later Louise helped to form Trinity United Methodist Church, and was a Charter member and proudly attended the 50 year anniversary of the church a few months ago. In 1956 Louise drew the plans for a three bedroom house which they had built on a “new street” named Meadowlawn where she lived until recently. Her husband died in 1989. Through her interest in music, she joined the Willamette Valley Jazz Society and met Glenn Houser Koch, a jazz drummer who lived in Lake Oswego. They traveled many happy miles together in the western States, on cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Hawaii. Glenn died October 2003. Louise loved children, dogs, dolls, her family and her home. Her daughter Denise Gentry Bergstrom of Salem and a Granddaughter Joy Bergstrom Brown of Stafford, Virginia survive her. Louise’s wish is that contributions be made to the Willamette Valley Jazz Society or the Trinity United Methodist Church of Salem, Oregon. A Celebration of Life will be held on 3:00 PM Thursday February 9th, at the VFW Hall at 620 Hood Street