William Doyle Gentry, Phd

William Doyle Gentry, PhD, a clinical psychologist, educator and author whose career spanned more than 40 years, passed away Nov. 29 at Virginia Baptist Hospital. He was 69.

 He was an irreplaceable mentor and role model, and will be remembered for his intelligence, generous counsel, quick wit and the love he had for his wife, two children and extended family. Through his profession, as well as his personal relationships and community engagement, he touched the lives of many people, young and old, and never met a stranger.

 Doyle was born in Roswell, Ga., on Dec. 8, 1943. In 1961, he moved to Tampa, Fla., where he graduated from Robinson High School and met his future wife, Catherine Reid.

Doyle attended Florida State University, where he earned bachelor\"™s degrees in psychology and sociology, and his masters and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology. He did his clinical internship at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

 Doyle\"™s professional and teaching career began in 1969 at Duke University Medical Center, where he served as an assistant professor of medical psychology and also was chief of the psychodiagnostic laboratory. From 1970 to 1979, he was a lecturer at Duke University\"™s psychology department. Throughout the 1970\"™s, Doyle served various positions at Duke University Medical Center, including administrative head of the Division of Medical Psychology, in the Department of Psychiatry. In the late 1970\"™s, Doyle took sabbatical at the Catholic University in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, where the Gentry family lived and traveled and the children began their education. When the family returned to the United States, they moved to Galveston, Texas, where Doyle served as professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch from 1979 to 1982. While in Texas, Doyle also worked at the University of Houston.

 Doyle and his family moved to Lynchburg in 1982, where he began his private practice and specialized in the treatment of anger and pain disorders and founded and directed the Institute for Anger-Free Living. Throughout the years, Doyle helped thousands of clients and businesses eliminate \"toxic\" anger and improve their health and well-being. He conducted training seminars for lay and professional audiences throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and served as a consultant to major industry, where he specialized in conflict management, team building and health promotion. He served as an adjunct faculty member at various Virginia educational institutions, including Lynchburg College, Central Virginia Community College, and Randolph Macon Woman\"™s College. He retired from private practice in 2008.

 Doyle was a pioneer in the fields of health psychology, behavioral medicine and anger management. He was a Fellow in the American Psychological Association and was the founding editor and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine for more than two decades. His scholarly work includes more than 100 professional and scientific papers, and is cited as an authoritative source by top anger researchers and therapists. Doyle also authored several books, including When Someone You Love is Angry, Anger Free: Ten Basic Steps to Managing Your Anger, Anger Management for Dummies, and Happiness for Dummies.

 Doyle was an avid reader, sports and Fox News watcher, enjoyed a good political debate and never stopped wanting to learn and sharing his knowledge with others. He enjoyed traveling, spending time with his basset hounds, and was an avid Florida State University fan.

 Most of all, Doyle was a devoted and loving husband to Catherine, his wife of 47 years, and their children. His is survived by his wife Catherine, Lynchburg; daughter Rebecca Gentry of Houston; son Christopher (Amy) Gentry of Orlando, Fla.; and brother Gary (Carol) Gentry of Monroe, Ga.

 The Gentry family will receive friends 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 at Tharp Funeral Home, 220 Breezewood Dr., Lynchburg. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the care given by Dr. Stephen M. Johnson, the staff of Centra Specialty Hospital, Dr. Zachary R. Healy, Duke University Medical Center, Pulmonary Department, and over the years Dr. David Cannon.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Florida State University Foundation, Psychology Department Fund – F00230, P.O. Box 3062739, Tallahassee, FL 32306.

  Tharp Funeral Home and Crematory, Lynchburg (434-237-9424) is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent by visiting: www.obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com.