Marion Eugene Gentry

 

On Aug 16 2007,  I received an e-mail from Cousin Glenn and Donna Gentry informing me that Cousin Kenny had received a phone call from a lady at the Owyhee County (Idaho) Historical Society in Idaho,  inquiring about someone named Marion Gentry,  who was killed in WWII,  in the Netherlands and is buried there.  They asked if I knew anything about this person, would I call this lady and tell her what I knew.

 

I immediately knew that it was Cousin Eugene as I remembered his name as

 Marion Eugene, named after his father, John Marion.  But with my hearing as it is, I knew it would be impossible to communicate with her via telephone.

 

I then got an e-mail from Terry Wirick, librarian with the Erie County PA Public Library, of which I have enclosed,  in part:

I'm looking for a relative or relatives of PVT Marion Gentry. I'm helping a Dutch citizen by the name of Manon Willems, who has adopted the grave of PVT Gentry, who is buried at the American Netherlands War Cemetery and Memorial at Margraten. I was given the link to your website by the Owyhee County (Idaho) Historical Society.

Ms. Willems would very much like to learn more about PVT Gentry. The adopters at the Margraten Cemetery visit the grave, bring flowers to the grave on special days and if possible, communicate with family or friends of their soldier.  Any information

that you could supply would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

I contacted Mr Wirick via e-mail and learned that he was in direct contact with Manon and Math Willems,  who according to his e-mail,  had “adopted” Eugene’s grave and was caring for it…decorating it on special days…Memorial Day, Christmas…etc.

This, they did in appreciation of the American Service men who assisted in driving Hitler’s Armies from their beloved Netherlands.

 

 I asked for and got their e-mail address there in Holland.  I wasn’t sure that I would be able to communicate with them, due to the language barrier, but I found that they were more proficient in English than I was in Dutch.  I contacted them and asked if they could send me pictures of the cemetery and Eugene’s gravesite.  They immediately sent 16 very nice pictures and, in return, requested a photo of Eugene in uniform.  I didn’t have a picture of him, but through the help of Cousin Wallace and Daisy Clinton…Daisy is Eugene’s niece…they sent me a photo of him in uniform!   I relayed it on to the Willems in Holland.

 

In their replies to me, they included these very interesting web links.

 

   http://www.adoptiegraven-margraten.nl/index1.htm   

 

 http://www.fallennotforgotten.nl/  

 

 I urge you to view both of these links…very interesting.  If you are interested in viewing the pictures of Eugene’s gravesite, let me know and I will be happy to forward as many as you would like. I have 16, plus one of Eugene in uniform, taken soon after his induction into the Army, about 1944.

 

I have enjoyed putting this together and wish to thank all who have helped in any way…Cousins Glenn and Donna,  Cousins Kenny and Sandra,  Cousins Wallace and Daisy,  the Owyhee County ID Historical Society and Terry Wirick,  who was instrumental in getting us connected with the Willems in Holland.

 

If any of you would like to write to the Willems to thank them for their efforts, here is their e-mail address...
 

 willems.math@gmail.com  

 

...I did...