William D. Gentry

William Dean Gentry passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Woodstock, Virginia, at the age of 80. Born in the Alexandria area to the late William Henry Gentry and Marion (Mattonen) Gentry, Bill was known to his family as “the smart one.” A curious and gifted child, he could disassemble and reassemble an automobile engine by the age of eight. He graduated from Francis C. Hammond High School in 1964, where he studied Classical Latin, and later earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1968. While at UVA, he obtained a First Class Commercial FCC license and began his long career in radio, communications, and broadcasting.

Bill spent a decade with a federal agency before becoming Chief Engineer at ST Research. Widely respected in the broadcast industry as the “engineer who could save the day,” he traveled across the country applying his keen mind and technical expertise to complex challenges. An avid outdoorsman, he embraced adventures that demanded strength, navigation, and balance, including spelunking, rock climbing, and skydiving. A motorcycle journey into the Shenandoah Valley captivated him, leading him to purchase his first home in Edinburgh in 1987. He retired at 55 and spent 13 years in Fort Valley, where he enjoyed restoring vintage cars and exploring auctions, estate sales, and yard sales in search of the best value.

In 2005, Bill moved to Woodstock and became active in the community. It was there, through Rotary International, that he met Annette Petrick. Their relationship blossomed into a deep and loving partnership; they merged households in 2008. Bill often described their years together as the best of his life, saying he felt as though he was in heaven when he was with her. They shared quiet joys—travel, a winter home in Florida, shopping, dining out, and simply being in each other’s company.

A lifetime member of Rotary International and the Rotary Club of Woodstock, Bill also served for 30 years on the Board of Directors of radio station WUVA. His spiritual life was rooted in early Christian teachings and a profound belief in the consciousness of God within each person. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Marcia Greene. He is survived by his beloved wife, Annette; his brother, Steve Gentry (Barbara); brother-in-law, Steve Greene; sisters, Jan Dunn (Mike), Karen Reinaldo (Tico), and Nadine Smith (Jay); and many nieces, great-nieces, and nephews.