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Beatrice Vanderhoop Gentry, oldest Aquinnah member, passes
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Filed Under: National | Recognition
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Beatrice Vanderhoop Gentry, 1910-2013. Beatrice Vanderhoop Gentry, the oldest member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts, died on Sunday. She was 102 years old. Gentry dedicated her life to Indian issues. She was a teacher at several Bureau of Indian Affairs schools across the country during the 1930s. After raising a military family all over the world, Gentry returned home to the island of Martha's Vineyard in 1964 and became active in local politics. She was the first president of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribal Council of Gay Head, the organization that secured federal recognition for her tribe in 1987. Gentry also served as chair of the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs. She revived the state agency and under her leadership, its members were all Indian for the first time in over 100 years, Gentry, who was about to celebrate her 103th birthday, is being buried tomorrow, according to an obituary posted at a local funeral home. The tribe will be hosting a reception in her honor.

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