Margie Bryan Gentry Holt

Margie Bryan Gentry Holt, 88, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2014 in Tyler Texas after a remarkably courageous battle against cancer. She was brave and determined to the end, just as she was throughout her life. Margie was born on June 29, 1925 in El Paso, Texas to Rachel Boynton Bryan and Dawson Charles Bryan. Her father was a distinguished Methodist minister who founded the Institute of Religion in Houston, Texas. Margie and her brother, Oscar, lived in a number of cities during her childhood, including Houston, where Margie attended Lamar High School. She later graduated from Southern Methodist University and returned to Houston where she married and raised her three children. Margie was a founding and active member of St. Luke's Methodist Church and The Methodist Hospital Blue Bird service group in Houston. For twenty years, she was an educator with the Houston Independent School District, teaching in some of the most disadvantaged schools in the city. She received Distinguished Teacher of the Year commendation, and earned her masters degree in education at nights and on weekends. Margie met and married John W. Gentry and they retired and moved to Austin to be closer to their children, becoming active members of Tarrytown Methodist Church. They had a wonderful and loving life together for twelve years before his death in 1991. She then moved to Tyler and adopted Marvin Methodist as her new church home. While in Tyler she married George A. Holt. They enjoyed eleven contented years together before he passed away in 2012. For more than fifty years she was a member of PEO, and became president of the Texas state chapter. Margie was devoted to the organization and to her many dearly loved fellow sisters. Throughout her life, she was truly an elect Christian lady. Her faith sustained her through many trials, and she never wavered in her devotion to The Lord. Our mother was a remarkable and loving woman of strength, intelligence and bravery. Her love for us was always there, and we are blessed beyond measure to carry the lessons she taught us for the rest of our lives. Mother was predeceased by her parents and her husbands, John and George. She is survived by her brother Oscar Dane and wife, Susan, of Houston, and by her loving children: her daughter Cathryn Withrow and husband Jon, of Norman Oklahoma, her son Bryan Lewis and wife Petie, of Austin, and her daughter Susan Berry and husband Jerry, of Tyler. She is also survived by her adored grandchildren: Rachel Hunt and husband Kyle of Austin, Margaret Lewis and Dawson Lewis of New York, and her great granddaughters, Harper Lee and River Marie Hunt. A service of Thanksgiving for her life and faith will be held on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 11:00 am at Marvin Methodist Church in Tyler with Dr. Doug Baker officiating. A private interment will be the following day in Austin. Our mother would want to thank the many friends who were so thoughtful as she waged her battle over the last months of her life, especially Marti, Marsha and Deanna; Dr. Beets and Kathryn at Hospice of East Texas; and her amazing caregivers, Elizabeth and Angela. We are deeply grateful for their care and kindness, and we honor them through a gift in our mother's memory to The Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75701.

Margie Bryan Gentry Holt

June 29, 1925 - May 26, 2014