Edward Pennington

Edward Newton Pennington was born in Ottawa, Kansas, December 24, 1917, the son of Thomas E. Pennington and Harriett (Palmer) Pennington. He was reared and educated in Kansas, New York, and Missouri; graduating from high school in Syracuse, Missouri in 1936. He received an associate's degree from Southwest Baptist College of Bolivar, Missouri, in 1938. The college honored him with the "Life Beautiful Award" for his Christian example. He worked for Hall Brothers in Kansas City until he was drafted in 1942. Edward was united in marriage with Dora Lucille Wynn on November 8, 1941 in Kansas City, Missouri. He served his county in the United States Army during World War II, stationed first in Skagway, Alaska, and later in Yermo, California. He was honorably discharged in 1946 with a rank of First Lieutenant. Following that, he attended Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, completing his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1948. He and Lucille moved to Bartlesville, where he was employed by Phillips Petroleum Company until his retirement in 1980. Lucille preceded him in death in 2002. Early in his career at Phillips Ed completed a master's degree in chemical engineering from Oklahoma A & M. In the 1950s he was involved in the process designs for Marlex� polyethylene and cis-polybutadiene synthetic rubber. In the early 1960s he accepted an assignment to West Germany for the design and building of a synthetic rubber plant at Bayer-Dormagen. On his return he accepted a position in the Electro-Mechanical Lab, which was dedicated to developing automated controls for chemical processes. The group was incorporated as Applied Automation in 1968. Ed was named Director of Engineering, ultimately managing a technical staff of seventy. In 1974 he was promoted to Director of Corporate Development, a position he held until his retirement. Edward and Lucille were charter members of the Trinity Baptist Church in Bartlesville, which was founded in 1952, and where he was active until his death. He was a lay leader in the church for more than four decades, serving as a deacon, on pulpit committees, building committees, and teaching Sunday School. Ed was a member of Gideons and served as chaplain. He was active in Boy Scouts and helped establish Troop 13 at Trinity Baptist Church. He loved fly fishing and took many fishing trips to Colorado, Yellowstone National Park, Canada, and Alaska over the years. As a member of Green Country Fly Fishers he taught fly tying and fly casting techniques to youth and adults. Ed and Lucille established a tradition of family travel while rearing their children. They continued that tradition with their grandchildren. During his retirement years, they also enjoyed several trips abroad, cruises, and camping with Wheels and Reels trailering club. Researching his family roots brought Ed many hours of pleasure. Of great importance to him were the ties he maintained with Southwest Baptist College. He was active on the Alumni board, serving as its president. In 1974 he received the alumni "Life Service Award" in recognition of his faithfulness not only to the school, but to Christ. In appreciation for all that Southwest Baptist College had helped him achieve, he established a scholarship fund there to support the school's missions: providing education in a Christian environment and world evangelism. Mr. Pennington is survived by his three children, David W. Pennington and his wife Gail of Fox Lake, IL, Nancy Pennington Turner and her husband Joe of Bartlesville, and Dale Pennington and his wife Joanne of Exeter, NH; one-half brother, James V. Pennington of Edina, MN; three grandchildren, Heather Turner Pyle and her husband Matthew of Oklahoma City, Jonathan Turner and his wife Jessica of Oklahoma City, and Matthew C. Pennington of Libertyville, IL; three step-grandchildren, Darla Schultz of Vernon Hills, IL, Andrew M. Schultz of Camp Pendleton, CA, and Lori A. Schultz of Prescott, AZ; and three great-grandchildren, Parker Elizabeth Pyle, Justice Nicole Pyle, and Greyson Nathaniel Pyle all of Oklahoma City. He is preceded in death by his wife, parents, and one brother, Robert Sylvester Pennington.

Service Details

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 2:00pm, Colonial Chapel, Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home

Interment Details

Memorial Park Cemetery Bartlesville