Anne Marie Gentes

We are saddened to announce Anne Marie Gentes, went to be with the Lord on April 29, 2022, at the age of 84 years. She is survived by her three children, a Daughter,  Anita Reles of Summerland, BC, a Son, Dan Reles of Winnipeg, MB, and another (estranged) Son, Chris Reles of Vancouver, BC, as well as her very close family friend, Mike Harber, and his children and their families,  who was like a son and more family to her in her later years. She is survived by her siblings: Betty (Raymond's 2nd wife), Margaret (Paul's wife), Shirley (Felix's wife), Norman Gentes, Mickey Gentes, Simone Bisseck, and John Gentes (Marj), as well as multiple nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, family, and friends. She was predeceased by her parents Josef Fabian Gentes and Virginie Angele Gentes (nee Richaud), her siblings: Raymond Gentes (Vera), Paul Gentes, Mary Jane (Norman’s wife), Felix Gentes, Emile Bisseck (Simone's husband), and  Edward "Teddy" Gentes, and some nieces and nephews. Anne has a rich family history.

Anne moved to British Columbia from Manitoba in 2004 and made her home in Summerland ever since. She was very well-loved by everybody she met and had many friends, but she was comfortable with her solitude and used it to play Sudoku and other word games. Anne dabbled in painting and crafts, but her favourite activities were gardening and listening to music. As a devout Catholic, Anne was a very active member and was a very involved member of Holy Child Catholic Parish, the local church. Previous to moving to BC, she spent her life between Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with a short stint in northern BC, and was mostly living the rural farm life. She graduated in her 60s from the University of Winnipeg, with both her Master’s Degrees in Theology and Divinity. Following graduation, Anne worked in a group home with troubled girls for four years, with a focus on the ongoing indigenous issues and other residential fallout, and then followed that by becoming a Chaplain for five years in a care home and hospital in Winnipeg. She then retired and moved to BC, right here in Summerland. In her later years, she volunteered at Summerland Health Care Auxiliary in multiple ways, as well as at Dr. Andrew's Pavilion and in the eye surgery department at the health care center for many years. She loved and thrived in the paradise she lived in for the past 18 years, the Okanagan. Anne was a beautiful, soft-spoken soul who held and kept a very deep-rooted, long-lived, strong faith, in everyone she encountered, but most especially, God. Anne’s last few months were not the smoothest, and her mind was ready to go on, and God saw this and was ready to take her home. She had come to peace very quickly and God took her hand and  Anne went home to Heaven with God by her side.


A Mass of Christian Burial took place on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 2:00 p.m., at Holy Child Catholic Church, Summerland, BC.