Gentry Finis Malcom

Gentry Finis Malcom, 71, of Nevada, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, at the Moore-Few Care Center, in Nevada. He was born Sept. 18, 1942, in Nevada, the son of Asa Clinton and Leta Bell (Dotson) Malcom.

Gentry grew up and worked diligently on the family farm in the Metz area. As a child, he went to school in Metz, participating in various sports despite a year-long hospital stay at Children's Mercy Hospital for hip surgery at the age of nine. After graduation, he continued to work on the farm until he was 21, and then moved to Kansas City where he married and had his first child. He worked as a distributor for a national cracker company for a time, cleaned various offices while working for a cleaning service, and chauffeured a presidential candidate in the greater Kansas City area.

After several years in Kansas City he moved to Nevada and began employment with the State Hospital. He was a psychiatric aide, caring for the mentally ill for more than two decades. When the hospital residents were moved into independent living facilities, he remained employed and became a community rehab specialist until his retirement. Aside from his full-time job with the state, he also had a lawn care service which he still continued after his retirement. He re-married and had two more children who lived and went to school in Nevada.

In what spare time he had, he enjoyed the outdoor pleasures of hunting, fishing and bird watching. He also enjoyed playing chess, checkers, cards and dominoes. In his younger days, he enjoyed pitching several years for a local fast pitch softball team. Gentry was well-known in his community and knew by a person's name the history of practically everyone who lived in Nevada. He enjoyed conversing with anyone who would give him their ear and was always willing to help anyone in need. He will sorely be missed by those who knew him best.

Survivors include his three children, Gentry Eugene Slone and Joan, of Odessa, Mo., Jennifer Lynn Malcom-Brown and Karl, of Des Moines, Iowa, and William Albert Malcom and Amber, of Nevada; his siblings, Charlotte Decker and James, Joe Malcom, Phyllis Young and Bob, David Malcom, Evelyn Fix and Steve, and Melody Thompson; grandchildren, Alyssa McKay, Steven Slone and Dustin Slone; great-grandchildren, Violata Slone, Leo Slone, and Mia Slone; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

A memorial visitation for Gentry Finis Malcom will be held from noon to 2 p.m., Monday, Sept. 15, at Ferry Funeral Home with memories to be shared at 1 p.m. Interment will follow after the 2 p.m. memorial visitation in Moore Cemetery, Nevada. Friends may call now and until service time at the funeral home.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.