Frank McClean Gentsch, Jr.

Frank M. Gentsch Jr. of Woodway, a Bishop retired of the Episcopal Missionary Church and Chaplain of the Waco Police Department, died on December 6, 2024. The son of the late Commander and Mrs. Frank M. Gentsch, he was born 13 June 1937 in Cleveland, Ohio. Frank and Sally were married at the Falls Church in Virginia on 1 July 1961. He is survived by his wife Sally, son, Frank and wife, Missy, and son, David, as well as grand-daughters Victoria Batey, Holley Garcia and husband, Blake, Isabella Gentsch, Kelsey Allison, Kathryn Gentsch., and great-grand-daughters Charlotte Grace Batey, Catríona Garcia, Elizabeth Grace, Emma Faith, and Ensley Joy Allison. 

A visitation in Frank’s honor will be on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 10:00am, funeral service will follow at 11:00am. A burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park with Masonic Honors under the auspices of Waco Masonic Lodge #92.

He is a 1961 graduate of Tusculum College as well as the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School. He served on active duty in the Navy from July 1961 to June 1971 including deployments to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean as well as the South China Sea. With these deployments, Frank and Sally spent two tours at Norfolk, one at Fort Campbell, Naval Communications Station Philippines and later the Navy's Register Publications Issuing Office in Honolulu from 1969 to 1971.

Frank and Sally Gentsch moved to Woodway in 1974 when he joined the Veteran's Administration at the Regional Office. Upon his retirement from Civil Service, they opened F & S Kis Kwik in Meadowlake Center.

Frank was a Volunteer Fireman and Reserve Police Officer for the Woodway Public Safety Department as well as the McLennan County Fire Marshal. 

Bishop Gentsch attended the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest and was Ordered Deacon in 1994 and Priest in 1995 in the Episcopal Missionary Church. He was the founding Rector of St. Stephen's EMC until its closing in 1997. Since that time, he has supplied at a number of different parishes.

He was Consecrated Bishop in 2006.

He was Raised a Master Mason in Waco Masonic Lodge #92 in 1976 and served as Worshipful Master in 1986. He was President and Past Commander of Waco Connally Chapter 482, National Sojourners as well as a member of nine other Chapters, Frank joined the Scottish Rite Bodies of Waco in 1977, served as Almoner for many years, was Invested a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in 1999 and in 2005 Coroneted an Inspector General Honorary 33 degree.

Pall Bearers - Past Master of Waco Lodge #92 and other Brother Masons.

In lieu of flowers, he requests donations be made to Providence Hospice, 6700 Sanger Avenue, Waco, Texas 76710, The Waco Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation, P. O. Bos 32508. Waco, Texas 76703, or St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105