Esther (Ellie) Ellen Gentosi

December 26, 1930 - March 10, 2026

Esther Ellen Gentosi (Ellie) passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 10th, 2026 at the age of 95, surrounded by her cherished family. Full of laughter and love, Ellie was always there for her family and those who needed her. She touched many lives, left behind so many stories, and she will be dearly missed.

Ellie was born on December 26th, 1930 in Des Moines, Iowa to Harold and Murl (Lawrence) Coy. She was an only child. Ellie attended East High School. She was married for 25 years to Ted Gentosi. Together they had three children: Debi, Rick and Teddy. Ellie was a stay at home mom, and later, once her kids were grown, she worked for several optical companies, retiring from Soderberg.

She enjoyed working on cars, baking with her grandkids, and working in her yard. She loved riding her motorcycle when she was younger, and even kept her motorcycle license valid until she was 87 - just in case someone would let her drive their motorcycle. Ellie liked fishing and camping, and kept a spot near lake Rathbun. We will always remember her for her sense of humor, her brutal honesty (she always told it how it was), and her fierce love for her family, who she would defend no matter what.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Murl and Harold Coy, her ex-husband Ted Gentosi, and her great-grandson, William Webb. She is survived by her three children, Debi (Bill Sr.) Roberts, Rick (Ronda) Gentosi and Teddy (Kim) Gentosi, as well as her seven grandchildren, Chrissy (Christopher) Greco, Billy Roberts Jr., Charity (Kris) Klop, Ami (Rob) Randazzo, Michael (Elana) Gentosi, Jenni Gentosi and Kori (Shawn) Green; fifteen great-grandchildren, Mikhaila, Allison, Luca, Ellie, Cali, Zoe, Luci, Mia, Ricky, Jamison, Gage, Hunter, Ayla, Eliana and Elias, and four great-great-grandchildren, Saylor, Lainey, Brinley and Frankie.

“So long as we live, they too shall live, for they are now a part of us, as we remember them.”