Friday, January 18, 2019, Jean-Paul Gentleman, Sr. died peacefully in his sleep after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Jean-Paul is survived by his loving wife Diana, of 55 years; brothers’ Bobby and Eddie (Kathy), their three children, Julie, Jean-Paul, Jr. (Shelli), and Scott (Morgan), and grandchildren, Shane, Wes, and Taylor (Sebastian) Horton, Hannah (Burton), Elena, and Tate Gentleman, and one great-grandchild, Eleo Sam. His parents, and his brother Tommy preceded Jean-Paul in death.
Paul was born on December 31, 1941 in Boston, MA to William and Lina Gentleman. The family settled in Santa Ana, CA where he graduated from Mater Dei High School in 1959. It was at Mater Dei, at the age of 14, where he met Diana.
Paul enlisted with the United States Army January of 1960, proudly serving as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne until January of 1963. Later that year, Jean-Paul and Diana were married and soon started their family. Paul had a long and distinguished career in sales, with his favorite being furniture sales at Goldsmith’s Oak Court Mall.
His strong work ethic, honesty, and positive personality earned him many repeat clients. As a devoted husband and father, Paul was without peer. He embraced everything about fatherhood, and his selfless devotion and affection toward his children were his first priority.
He was a proud “fan in the stands” for the vast majority of Julie’s track meets and tennis matches, and hundreds of Jean-Paul, Jr. and Scott’s baseball games. He was just as eager to provide his love and support to his adoring grandchildren, proudly attending their countless sporting events, concerts, and school presentations. The many children who grew up near Pine Needle Cove in Germantown affectionately knew Jean-Paul as “Grandpa”.
A weekend did not go by without multiple kids wrestling in the front yard or playing some game in the cove. He adored the “cove kids” and treated them, as they were his own. Paul lived up to his last name in every sense of the word, and was truly the consummate “Gentleman”.
He possessed a wonderful sense of humor, and laughter was a constant in his life. He was an avid baseball fan, and loved to fish at the White River in Arkansas. He and his beloved dog Gracie were fixtures at Cameron Brown and Bob Hailey parks, taking twice-daily walks for the past 10 years.
He enjoyed the many friendships he developed during these walks. His life will be celebrated on Saturday, January 26th at Gentleman Orthopedic Solutions office, 3753 Tyndale Drive Suite 102, Memphis, TN 38125 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made to the Alzheimer’s Association, St. Jude Research Hospital, or Baptist Reynolds Hospice House.
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