Cecil Thomas Gentle

Mr. Cecil Thomas Gentle, 87, of Statesville, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, July 2, 2016, at Iredell Memorial Hospital. Mr. Gentle was born in Iredell County on September 22, 1928, and was the son of the late James Theadore and Ina Mae Hedrick Gentle. He attended Iredell County Schools and was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. In 1958, he married Merita Peacock Gentle who preceded him in death in 1973 and in 1978, he married Betty Williams Anderson Gentle, who also preceded him in death in 1988. He was a member of Oakdale Baptist Church for 54 years and served as the Sunday School Secretary. Mr. Gentle was retired from Warlick Paint Co. in 1990 following 25 years of service and prior to that, he worked for Cheerwine. Mr. Gentle enjoyed the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, watching the Atlanta Braves baseball team, was an avid Tarheel Basketball fan. For many years, he umpired softball games and in recent years, watching wrestling and riding his great grandson in his pickup truck. In addition to his parents and his two wives, he was preceded in death by a sister, Helen Gentle Gemes, a brother, Larry Ray Gentle, and a step-daughter, Pamela Anderson. He is survived by two granddaughters, Amanda Anderson and Ashley Dison, and a great-grandson, Jayson Rudd, all of Statesville. He is also survived by two sisters, Hazel G. Gurley (Glenn) of Charlotte and Glenda G. Vanhoy (Tommy) of Harmony. A number of nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral services for Mr. Gentle will be conducted 3:00 PM Tuesday, July 5, 2016, at Oakdale Baptist Church with Rev. Matthew Eades officiating. The family will visit with friends from 2:00 until 3:00 PM at the church. Burial will follow in the Society Baptist Church Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be David Bell, Mark Johnson, Larry Johnson, Clay Vanhoy, Buddy Lippard, and Colt Hammond. Memorials may be made to Oakdale Baptist Church, 585 Mocksville Hwy, Statesville, NC 28625 or to the Cecil T. Gentle Memorial Fund, c/o Nicholson Funeral Home, 135 E. Front Street, Statesville, NC 28677. Online condolences can be made to the family at www.nicholsonfunerals.com and Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the family of Cecil T. Gentle.