Joe Bryant Lentz, 90, of Knoxville (formerly of McMinnville) died peacefully Sunday, Sept. 10, at Beverly Park Place Health & Rehab in Knoxville.
He was born Nov. 24, 1926, in DeKalb County, was a member of First United Methodist Church, and was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Jo Dean Underhill Lentz, parents John M. and Ethel Bryant Lentz, and sisters, Wilma Lentz Stiles and Louise Lentz Wilson.
Joe moved to McMinnville for his senior year in high school, graduating from Central High School and married Jo Dean Underhill in October of 1944. He worked as a farmer, a Tom’s Peanuts Salesman and Deliveryman, a Life & Casualty Insurance Salesman, Western Auto Sales & Repair and for Doc Bragg as a John Deer Sales and Repair. In 1958, he and his wife started a grocery store that later became Lentz Cee Bee Food Store. During that time, he was dubbed Jolly Joe, and the store was nicknamed the “friendliest store in town” by the late Chic Brown. After 28 years he retired but didn’t stop there. He worked part-time for his brother-in-law, Brown Underhill at Red Ball Moving & Storage.  In 1996, they moved to Gatlinburg, where he took a part-time job working at Ace Hardware. As Jo Dean’s health gradually waned, they then moved to Knoxville in 2014.
Survivors include his children, Barry N. (Cathy) Lentz and Deborah Lentz Glenn, grandchildren, David Lentz, Jennifer (Mark) Brosseau, Kathryn (Casey) Higdon, Tedman Glenn and Deedra Glenn, sister, Nell Lentz Grissom, and brother, Tom E. (Betty) Lentz.
Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at McMinnville Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Tommy Vann, Rev. Larry C. Layne and Rev. Robert H. Case will officiate. Interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery. The Lentz family will receive friends Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., and again Saturday from 9 until 11 a.m. at the parlors of McMinnville Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to the Meal’s Program at First United Methodist Church, 200 W. Main St., McMinnville, 37110. Online condolences may be made at www.mcminnvillefuneralhome.com.
McMinnville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.