John Gilmore Penn, Sr

John Gilmore Penn, Sr., 93, of Kingsport, died early Sunday morning August 5, 2007 at Preston Place Suites.

An avid golfer, devoted husband, and beloved father, John was born in Saltville, Virginia, and he moved to Abingdon, Virginia as a youth. He attended William King High School in Abingdon, where he was president of his senior class and captain of the football team. He attended the Virginia Military Institute where he played baseball and football.

After VMI, he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Field Artillery Reserves. He later transferred to the Army Air Corps, where he served during World War II. He was the first Commandant of Cadets at the Tuskegee Air Institute. He remained in the Air Force Reserves, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1963.
He was a chemist at the Tennessee Eastman Company, Research Department, for 40 years. He was a member of First Broad Street United Methodist Church, and was a member of the Moose and Elks lodges.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Elsie Buvalich, his mother Mary Connelly Cosby Penn, his father James Gilmore Penn, and his sister Sue Litchfield Penn.

Survivors include his sons: John Gilmore Penn, Jr., his wife Susie and their children Allison and Andrew, of Lakeland, Florida; and George Edward Penn, II, of Laurel, Maryland.

There will be a graveside service at 10:30 am Wednesday August 8, 2007 at the Sinking Springs Cemetery in Abingdon, Virginia. A memorial service will be held at 2 pm Wednesday at Preston Place Suites 2001 N. John B. Dennis Highway with pastor Phil Goins officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service at Preston Place Suites.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to: Preston Place Suites, 2001 N. John B. Dennis Hwy, Kingsport, TN 37660; First Broad Street United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1346, Kingsport, TN 37662; or to The Shepherd Center, 1701 Virginia Avenue, Kingsport, TN 37664.