A Tribute to Ruth Gentry Raley

Ruth Gentry Raley, second child of the late William M “Will” Gentry (b. June 16, 1889 - d. December 1, 1974, buried Union Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery and Nola Sharp Gentry (b. December 22, 1896 - d. December 7, 1978, buried Union Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery). Her grandparents are James and Martha DeLapp Gentry and William “Bill” Sharp and Elenora Warwick Sharp. Will and Nola were married September 15, 1918 in Union County.

Ruth is descended from old Union County families. Her great grandfather, Samuel DeLapp was an early Union County cabinet maker. Ruth is second of the four children of Will and Nola–Evelyn, Ruth, Pauline and Hubert. An interesting note is her sister, Pauline and James A. Seymour (later Reverend Seymour, who was for many years pastor of Milan Baptist Church) along with Joanna Heiskell and Max Gerald Beeler eloped and were married July 4, 1937.

Ruth received her elementary education at Raccoon Valley Academy, as did her mother, father and siblings. The school gained some notoriety during the Army-McCarthy hearings. This is the story as told to me:
When Ray Jenkins was in Washington for the Army-McCarthy hearings, the lawyers were sitting around extolling their credentials. One or two mentioned Choate, and Ray Jenkins only listened. Finally one of them added, “And where were you educated Mr. Jenkins?” He replied, “ Raccoon Valley Academy–A fine school.”
I have not been able to confirm this; however, his cousins and law partners, Erby and Aubrey Jenkins, lived in Union County and attended school at Raccoon Valley. It is possible that he stayed a while and did attend school at Raccoon Valley.

Ruth and Evelyn graduated in the Horace Maynard High School Class of 1939. Ruth went on to attend Gregory Business College, and was hired by then Superintendent of Union County Schools, Arch. K. Steiner, before her graduation. He told the story that he had to wait two weeks for her graduation for her to report for work. Arch was proud of his selection. Although it is almost unheard of today, Ruth has had only one employer during her 70-year working career. She has worked for many heads of the Union County School System, among them–A. K. Steiner, Lucy Jean Turner Wilson, Rome C. Sharp, Claude Weaver, Dwain Burke, David Coppock, Charles Thomas, and Wayne Goforth.

Ruth was married to the late Raymond Raley and still lives at the Gentry homeplace.

Bonnie Heiskell Peters