Delano Francis Gentle

Delano “Del” Francis Gentle, of Fayetteville, NC, passed away on Friday, June 2, 2023, in Fayetteville, NC. He was born on December 6, 1932, in Wayne County, MI. His mother was Bernice Rozycki Gentle and his father was Frank Gentle, both of Detroit, MI. At the age of twenty he joined the US Army earning the rank of Sergeant 1 st Class during the Korean War (known as the Forgotten War), serving from January 1953 until November 1954. He served a total of two years, three months, and two days followed by time in the US Army Reserve. During his service he was an artillery soldier, a carpenter, and a barber, for which he told many amusing stories. He worked most of his life in the automobile industry, first in the factories, then in repair and detailing, and lastly in collision repair before retiring. Having worked as a carpenter in the Army while in Korea, he continued his love of building things throughout his life. He married Ora Lee Blair on September 28, 1955, after a short two-week courtship. They had a full fifty-eight years together before he lost the love of his life. Throughout his life he enjoyed camping with his family, “piddling” on cars, and building anything that came to his mind. After he retired, he and his wife fulfilled a lifetime dream of traveling the USA in their RV trailer before their health and age began to tell on them. After his wife died, he lived with his daughter, Nona and her husband Fred. Besides being Fred’s TV buddy, he loved to watch the birds and squirrels and loved visiting with the international students from Methodist University who visited the family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Gentle and Bernice Rozycki Gentle. His siblings: Nancy M. Londrow, Patrick J. Gentle, and Thomas Baldwin Gentle and son-in-law, Garvin L. Parks. He is survived by his daughters: Nona D. Fisher (Fred); Sabrina B. Parks; Vonda K Damron (James). Grandchildren: David S. Fisher (Jennifer), Rebecca M. Lewis (Gene), Michelle R. Davis, Melanie A. Munday, Johnathan S. Parks, Jeremiah N. Parks, John Micheal Tew (Bobbie), Brittany N. Anderson (Jeremy), Ashley E. Schwarz (Andrew). He had nineteen great- grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren. All of whom loved him dearly. Memorial gifts and donations can be made in his name to the: Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave. Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601, or Methodist University, Global Education Department, 5400 Ramsey St, Fayetteville, NC 28311, or Cliffdale Community Church. The family will receive friends and neighbors on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at Cliffdale Community Church, 7763 Cliffdale Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28314, 12:00-1:00 PM where a memorial celebration service will be held followed at 2:00 PM by a short military service at Sandhills Veterans Cemetery, 8220 Bragg Blvd, Spring Lake, NC 28390. Arrangements by Cape Fear Crematory of Stedman, NC.

Delano Francis Gentle

December 6, 1932 - June 2, 2023