Darrell Waltrip Celebrates 50th Hometown Hero: Jimmy Gentry

There are few in Williamson County who haven’t been impacted by Jimmy Gentry in one way or another. Whether it’s been through a simple visit to his family farm to pick pumpkins, in the classroom, on the football field, or by listening to him speak about his experience serving our country in World War II, Gentry’s story is an extraordinary one.

In honor of his life, work and the impact he has made in Williamson County, Jimmy Gentry has been named a Darrell Waltrip Automotive Hometown Hero.

“We’ve had 50 heroes now and just like coach people that know them know they’re heroes but they don’t know they’re heroes”, shared Darrell Waltrip. “That’s what makes Hometown Heroes so much fun. It’s ordinary people, doing extraordinary things. Coach Gentry is a great man, a great coach. It’s an honor for us to honor him.”

“I don’t look at myself as being a hero, but seven of my classmates didn’t come home from World War II”, shared Gentry. “They are the heroes. And my brother is one of those, so I look back to World War II and I think about the real heroes who didn’t come home.”

Born and raised in Williamson County in 1925, Gentry was one of nine children who grew up in a working-class family during the Depression. After the death of his father, he became an expert hunter, trapper, and fisherman in order to provide for his struggling family. Gentry was a noted high school athlete, and at the age of 18 he went to war to help defend his nation. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for his actions during the invasion of Germany, having been one of the first to come across the Nazi concentration camp Dachau.

After not speaking of his experience for forty years, Gentry was convinced by a Nashville Holocaust survivor to share his experiences with others.

Gentry and his wife Rebecca raised their three children on their family farm in Franklin and for 66 years he served as a teacher and coach, primarily at Brentwood Academy and Franklin High School.

Gentry now spends the majority of his time at their farm, enjoys painting and drawing and speaks near and far to classrooms and packed auditoriums about his WWII experience.

As a part of Gentry’s Hometown Hero award, a $500 donation will be made in his honor to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Darrell Waltrip Automotive’s Hometown Heroes is a monthly event honoring local heroes making a difference. To learn more or to nominate your hero visit www.DarrellWaltrip.com/hero.