Roy Mason Pennington, Sr.

Roy Mason Pennington, Sr., age 96, passed away at Ben Atchley Veterans Home, Knoxville, TN, on May 7, 2020, going to heaven to be with his wife, Marie, and their daughter, Debbie Holt. Roy is survived by his daughter, Sandy Dennis, of Maryville, TN; son, Roy Mason Pennington, Jr. (Debi), Williamsburg, VA; brother-in-law David Murr, Sevierville, TN; grandchildren Monika David (Jim); Eric Dennis (Lisa); Chipper Wyatt (Janice); Chester Miles (Melissa); Ashleigh Jones (Daniel); Navy LT Roy Mason Pennington, III, M.D. (Eileen); Kasey Rennie (Chris); Joshua Dennis, Esquire; Kyleigh Yates (Chris); and Katie Holt; great grandchildren – Trey Belcher (Katie); Taylor Dennis; Jared Belcher; Joseph Dennis, Bryce Belcher; Haven Miles; Roy Mason Pennington, IV; Wyatt Jones; Emma Wyatt; Ella Wyatt; Ryleigh Yates; Amaleigh Jones; Atalynn Yates; Aliviah Rennie; Leyland Jones; Gatlin Miles, and Braxton Miles; and great, great granddaughter, Chloe June Belcher. Roy was adored by his family and instilled a love in them for Christian values and America.
As a child of the Great Depression, Roy traveled west to CA as a hobo, worked in CC Camps in TX, worked in carnivals, broke wild horses for the Mandan Indians in North Dakota, and was an elephant keeper for Barnum and Bailey Circus. An original Navy Seabee, Roy served in the Pacific during World War II to “build and fight.” He worked as a driller on oil rigs in TX and in the Gulf of Mexico. Roy was a master electrician who retired from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in VA. Roy and Marie were avid western square dancers and in retirement they danced their way across the United States. Roy loved to karaoke which he did even on his 90th birthday while visiting Hawaii. He was known by residents, staff, and visitors at Ben Atchley Veterans Home for his outgoing personality and his festive singing.
A graveside service and burial will be held Saturday, May 9, 2020, at 3:00 pm at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Seabee Veterans of America, Department of Tennessee, Island X-2. For additional Seabee memorial information, please contact Frank Acs at acsfj09265@yahoo.com.