Tributes

Ferris Eldred Gentzler, 84, of Pawleys Island, passed away on Sunday, June 12 at Waccamaw Hospital after complications following lung surgery earlier in the week. He was born October 16, 1926 near Two Buttes, Colorado, one of five children. He was the son of the late Jacob A. Gentzler and Allene Shiflet Gentzler. Mr. Gentzler served as a weather observer in the United States Air Force in Panama. He was a graduate of San Diego State University in 1949 and in later years earned designations of Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant. He spent the first part of his career in Washington, DC, working in sales for Remington Rand and later New York Life Insurance Company. He and his family left DC for Charleston, South Carolina in 1969, when he was named General Manager of New York Life's regional office there. In Charleston, Gentzler served as President of the Charleston Estate Planning Council and the Charleston Chapter of Chartered Life Underwriters. He also served as Chairman of the South Carolina State Convention of Life Underwriters in 1975. After early retirement, Mr. Gentzler founded Financial Concepts, Inc. a financial planning and consulting firm in Washington, D.C., serving as President until final retirement and a return to South Carolina in 1993. Mr. Gentzler had a lifelong interest in music and was an accomplished musician. Through the years, he had been a member of and soloist with several church choirs and choral groups. He sang principal roles with the San Diego Light Opera Company, several Light Opera and Little Theatre Companies in the Washington, D. C. and Charleston, South Carolina areas. In recent years, he had performed solo piano recitals in his home for friends and neighbors. He was an avid golfer, who was out on the golf course 10 days before his death, and a member of the Litchfield Country Club in Pawleys Island. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Brenda Hughes Gentzler, his three children, Doreen Gentzler Miller of Chevy Chase, Maryland, John Gentzler of Myrtle Beach, and William Gentzler of Falls Church, Virginia. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Lauren, Amanda, Christopher, Carson and Jacob; as well as a sister, Marjorie Anderson, and two brothers, Virgil and Max Gentzler, who all live in Southern California. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, June 16, 2011 at St. Paul's Waccamaw United Methodist Church with Reverend Nels Ledwell and Reverend Charles Hughes officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the St. Paul's Waccamaw United Methodist Church. An online guestbook is available at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com Goldfinch Funeral Home, Litchfield/Pawleys Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Tributes

Ferris Gentzler

October 16, 1926 - June 12, 2011