Dr. Judith Fenner Gentry was born on May 28, 1942 in Baltimore County, MD. She earned her PhD at Rice University and taught history at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) for more than 40 years. Her areas of research included the Civil War and women's history.

Dr. Gentry was involved in many different organizations and committees. She acted as president of UL Lafayette's chapter of the American Association of University Professors, served in various executive positions for the Louisiana Historical Association, and co-founded the Southern Association for Women Historians. She also received many honors, including the University of Southwestern Louisiana Foundation Outstanding Teacher Award in 1994. She also wrote and contributed to numerous publications, including Louisiana Women: Their Lives and Times (2009) and I Cannot Forget: Imprisoned in Korea, Accused at Home (2013).

Dr. Gentry was married to Dr. Robert Gentry and together they had one son, James Andrew Sayle Gentry. She passed away on February 4, 2021 at her home in Lafayette.