Bro. June Gentry passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on September 17, 2021.

Born Frank Gustav Silva August 8, 1947 in Wiesbaden, Germany, he grew up in Los Angeles, CA. After landing in jail in his twenties, and through reading the Gideon Bible there, he surrendered his life completely to God. He moved to East TX in the early 1970's and lived in North Redlands and began his ministry. In 1975 he founded God's Open Door to Eternal Life, known as GODTEL Ministries.

In 1977 he and his wife Nancy, along with support from others, purchased the Old Redland Hotel in downtown Nacogdoches and GODTEL's homeless shelter opened. It is now located on Douglass Road. Later, GODTEL added locations in Lufkin and Livingston Texas. In addition to serving God through ministry to the homeless, Bro. June preached throughout Texas and neighboring states. He wrote music and performed his songs with his family at churches, nursing homes, the Nacogdoches Blueberry Festival, the Pineywoods Fair, schools, and anywhere possible to spread the gospel and provide awareness and opportunity for others to help the homeless.

Bro. June had many talents. A gifted musician, speaker, mechanic, builder, general fixer of things, and science fiction aficionado, he hated small talk but would talk about Jesus all day. He could be charming, difficult, tender, stubborn, witty, and caring. No matter if you had an easy or fraught relationship with him, it was clear that Bro. June lived according to his convictions and his devout belief in the inerrancy of the Bible. He worked tirelessly to care for the poor and reach people for Christ.

He died at home from Covid pneumonia after six days in the ICU at Baylor St Luke's in Houston. His family is grateful for the care he received in the ER at St Luke's hospital in Livingston before being transferred to Baylor. His nurses and doctors at Baylor were compassionate and provided excellent care which was a comfort during such a difficult time.

Bro. June is survived by his wife of 48 years, Nancy; his children: Michael Silva, Greta Nimitz, Joann Varnell, Jeremiah Gentry, Josiah Gentry, and Joshua Gentry; his father Eligio T. Silva and step-mother Ramona; siblings, Pegi, Eli, Michelle, John, Kenny, James, and Richard; 15 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, whom he all called George.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to GODTEL Ministries www.godtel.org or The Gideons International https://www.sendtheword.org/

Bro. June's memorial will be outside at GODTEL's Mission on the Hill at 3:00, Sept 26, 2021. 1607 South Washington Avenue Livingston, TX 77351-4047